Chinese foreign ministry statement said the attack was “a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security ” that “tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations.”

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,” the statement added, urging “an immediate stop to the military operations” and warning against “any further escalation of the tense situation.”

Beijing’s strongest leverage is diplomatic; it is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has joined other countries in calling for restraint and a return to negotiations, even as fighting spreads across multiple fronts.

But China’s reported ability to broker a quick off-ramp may be limited. While Beijing has built close ties with Tehran and has previously helped mediate major Middle East diplomacy, including the Saudi-Iran détente , it has far less influence over Israel and the United States, who are central to any ceasefire plan.

China also has clear economic reasons to push for calm, including protecting regional stability and energy flows. China has been Iran’s biggest export market since 2019 and its largest source of imports since 2014, but Iran still makes up less than 1% of China’s total global trade.

In 2025, China bought more than 80% of Iran’s seaborne oil exports, typically at a steep discount, and those purchases made up about 13.4% (roughly 13.5%) of China’s total oil imports by sea.

In Gaza, Hamas announced it was mourning Khamenei, calling him a key backer of the Palestinian militant group. “We in Hamas mourn the passing of Ali Khamenei,” it said, adding that he provided “political, diplomatic and military support” to its cause.

Hamas also condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran as a “heinous” act with serious consequences for the region.

Khamenei’s death has deepened uncertainty over Iran’s next steps and leadership succession, as countries and international bodies urged restraint amid ongoing military exchanges across the Middle East.

Momani stressed that the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan was legally dissolved following a 2020 court ruling, and that all its activities were formally banned in April 2025. He said Jordan addresses such matters in line with its constitution, laws and what he described as the country’s “supreme national interest”.

“The government’s position is clear and based on judicial decisions and the rule of law,” Momani said, adding that Jordan’s approach to political and security issues remains sovereign and independent.

The US designation was announced earlier on Tuesday, January 13, by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post on X. Rubio said Washington was formally listing the Lebanese, Egyptian and Jordanian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations, citing national security concerns.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States will eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters that threaten US citizens and our national security,” Rubio wrote.

The designation allows US authorities to impose sanctions, freeze assets under US jurisdiction and criminalise material support linked to the named organisations.

Governments that suspended flights or warned citizens against travelling cite a combination of security concerns, institutional breakdown, and unpredictable diplomatic tensions.

Since early September, the U.S. government has been carrying out airstrikes on vessels it claims are drug-running boats from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, actions that Democrats, legal scholars and human rights groups have criticised as extrajudicial killings.

On Thursday, November 27, Trump again warned that he is prepared to expand those strikes to targets on land.

"The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump told reporters.

Maduro also accused the U.S. in a televised address in October of openly authorising CIA operations to topple his government, calling the move “unprecedented” in modern history.

“The U.S.  government  has decided to send the CIA to Venezuela,” Maduro said in the televised address reported by Viory. “They want to frighten, divide, and demoralise our people. But our people are clear, united, with millions of eyes and ears. We will defeat this conspiracy again.”

A relationship built on confrontation

Tensions between Trump and Maduro date back to 2017, when the White House imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuelan officials, state-run oil company PDVSA, and the government’s financial networks in a bid to force democratic reforms.

The sanctions accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse, restricting its access to global capital markets and worsening shortages of fuel, medicine and basic goods.

By early 2019, the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president, triggering a rupture in diplomatic relations. Caracas expelled U.S. diplomats and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.

As the political crisis intensified, Venezuela’s aviation system deteriorated further, prompting the U.S. decision to halt all flights that year.

Despite a brief easing of sanctions under President Joe Biden in 2023–24, Washington reinstated many restrictions after disagreements over electoral guarantees.

By the time Trump re-emerged as a central political figure in 2025, the relationship had once again become combustible.

Airlines began withdrawing voluntarily years before official bans, citing unpaid debts, unsafe airport conditions, and rising crime around transit hubs. Carriers from Colombia, Brazil, and several European countries reduced their routes long before the current wave of political restrictions.

Today’s bans come against a backdrop of continued concerns over Venezuela’s regulatory oversight, reports of airport corruption, and frequent nationwide blackouts that disrupt aviation systems. Several governments warn that deteriorating security and infrastructure make travel too risky for citizens or airline crews.

Opening his remarks with reference to the June conflict between Iran and Israel, Khamenei acknowledged Iranian losses but framed them as part of the reality of war. “Yes, we have suffered losses, dear lives have been lost — there is no doubt about that. This is the nature of war… But the Islamic Republic has shown that the centre of will and power can make decisions and stand powerfully,” he stated.

Khamenei went on to accuse the United States of fuelling instability across the globe. “For the sake of oil and underground resources, they are willing to ignite wars anywhere in the world. Today, this warmongering has reached Latin America ,” he said, adding that Iran has no interest in aligning with governments backed by U.S. influence.

He further argued that U.S. policies were pushing Washington into deeper international isolation. “Even if the presidents of some countries flatter it, among nations, America becomes more hated day by day. Wherever it has intervened, it has led to warmongering, genocide, destruction or displacement,” he said.

Khamenei’s comments come months after U.S. airstrikes targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites during a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel.