Taiwan’s government declared its backing for global initiatives aimed at bringing democratic freedoms to the Iranian people, while also expressing solidarity with the United States and Israel in their recent military actions.
The announcement came Tuesday from Taiwan’s foreign ministry, as the island nation continues to strengthen ties with democratic partners amid increasing military threats from China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan.
Taiwan’s leadership, led by President Lai Ching-te, has frequently compared their nation’s security challenges to those facing Israel, particularly as Beijing has intensified military pressure on the island in recent years.
The relationship between Taiwan and Israel has deepened significantly since Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel in October 2023, sparking the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Taiwan has provided unwavering support to Israel throughout this period.
When questioned about Taiwan’s position on recent U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to democratic values.
“We support the international community’s efforts to help the Iranian people pursue freedom and democracy and we hope the Iranian people can soon enjoy freedom, democracy and human rights,” Hsiao stated.
The spokesperson also criticized Iran’s recent “indiscriminate military attacks,” specifically mentioning the missile and drone strikes targeting Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and other nations in the Gulf region.
During parliamentary proceedings earlier Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu, who conducted a confidential visit to Israel in late 2023, characterized U.S. and Israeli objectives as efforts to “eliminate terrorism.”
“Of course, the U.S. and Israel are both allies of Taiwan’s,” Wu noted.
While Taiwan maintains unofficial relationships with both Israel and the United States, it lacks formal diplomatic recognition from either nation. However, Washington remains Taiwan’s primary international supporter and weapons provider.
Taiwan severed diplomatic connections with Iran in 1971 when Tehran officially recognized the People’s Republic of China.
