February 2, 2024
The Islamic Republic erupted in a fury a few months ago when China signed a communique with the Gulf Cooperation Council urging (among many other things) that Iran negotiate with the UAE over the disputed three islands in the Persian Gulf Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. Since then, identical language has appeared in communiques signed by the GCC with Russia, the United States, Japan, Great Britain and the European Union. The language does not say the islands belong to the UAE; it just calls for negotiations, which offends the Islamic Republic.