China’s Xi seeks ‘global solidarity, cooperation’ amid US, Iran tensions

China's President Xi Jinping on Friday called for "global solidarity and cooperation" amid tensions between the US and Iran as well as Washington's capture of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.

"Division, confrontation and zero-sum games have no future, and returning the world to the law of the jungle is not what people want to see," Xi said.

The Chinese president was addressing an event in Beijing where he received credentials of 18 new foreign ambassadors, according to state-run Xinhua News.

The world today "is undergoing accelerating changes on a scale rarely seen in a century, with the international landscape beset by transformation and turbulence, and global challenges becoming more prominent," said Xi.

Xi's comments came amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Tehran following protests in Iran that have reportedly slowed in recent days.

US President Donald Trump has also softened his criticism of Iran as the White House said Thursday that Iranian authorities had "halted" 800 scheduled executions amid weeks of protests, adding that Washington is "closely monitoring" the situation.

Iranian officials have accused the US and Israel of backing "riots" and "terrorism" in the protests.

At the UN Security Council, China on Thursday reiterated its support for Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

"China consistently advocates adherence to the purposes of the UN Charter and international law, opposes the use or threat of force in international relations," Chinese envoy Sun Lei told the Security Council, which hosted a debate on the situation in the Middle East.

While the Iranian authorities have not released official figures on casualties or detainees, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 2,600 people have been killed, including protesters and security personnel.