Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the Chinese diplomat ‘had a visit’ as Tehran expressed ‘strong dissatisfaction’ over China’s joint statement with the GCC countries.
Tehran, Iran – Iran summoned China’s ambassador after Beijing issued a controversial joint statement with Arab states about resolving, among other issues, three disputed islands.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia on Friday, where he also sat down with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
They issued a joint statement, which contained several provisions directly related to Iran’s affairs, its nuclear program and its regional activities.
The issue that caused the rare Chinese envoy to be summoned was the ownership of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa – three islands in the Strait of Hormuz that have been administered by Iran since 1971 and administered by the United Arab Emirates. (UAE) claims. part of its territory.
The then King of Iran sent the royal navy to the three islands in 1971 after the British withdrew their armed forces from what is now the United Arab Emirates. Since then, Emirati leaders have maintained the islands belong to them, with support from other Arab states. Iran has rejected these calls.
By signing a statement calling for “bilateral negotiations in accordance with the rules of international law and to resolve this issue in accordance with international legitimacy,” China undermined Tehran’s position in a major way. effectively that they will not hold any negotiations over the archipelago.
Unlike language for Western countries, Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not announce “summoning” the Chinese ambassador to “oppose” or “condemn” the move, saying instead that the envoy ” visited” with a State Department official on Saturday, during which Tehran’s “strong dissatisfaction” was communicated.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also said in a tweet that the archipelago is “a pure and inseparable part of Iran”, and that Tehran will not hesitate to support its territorial integrity.
Amirabdollahian’s tweet was criticized online because he did not name China, and also because he only tweeted in Farsi while he had previously tweeted both in Farsi and Chinese in support of the territorial integrity of China.
China and Iran sign an agreement 25 year cooperation agreement last year, which Amirabdollahian said earlier this year “has entered the implementation phase,” but so far no major contracts have been made public as part of the deal.
‘Chinese colleagues’
The declaration that Mr. Xi signed with the GCC leaders did not limit ownership of the islands.
It stressed ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and called on Tehran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), weeks after Iran enhanced uranium enrichment in response to a resolution put forward by the West at the nuclear watchdog council.
In one Interview with Al Jazeera announced Saturday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated that Iran providing answers to the agency about man-made nukes found at several sites is not optional, but rather an option. “duty”.
China and GCC member states further emphasized dialogue on what they called Iran’s “destabilizing activities in the region” and its “support for terrorist groups, sects and other illegal armed organizations”, in addition to the proliferation of ballistic missiles and drones.
In a statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani expressed “surprise” at the inclusion of provisions relating to Iran and defending Iran’s activities.
Mohammad Jamshidi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s deputy political affairs officer, spoke directly to the Chinese authorities in a tweet he wrote only in Farsi.
“Chinese colleagues should remember that when Saudi [Arabia] and the United States supports ISIS [ISIL] and al-Qaeda groups in Syria and destroy Yemen with one brutal military invasionIran itself has been fighting terrorists so that stability and security can be established throughout the region and terrorism will not spread to the East and the West,” he wrote.
