Under pressure from anti-regime protests at home, Iran was also dealt a painful diplomatic blow abroad, as the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and Gulf Cooperation Council states issued a joint statement December 9 affirming “their support for all peaceful efforts, including the initiative and endeavors of the United Arab Emirates to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the three islands; Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.”  

The Islamic Republic, which in line with the regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, considers the islands inseparable parts of Iranian territory, reacted angrily by summoning the Chinese ambassador to the Foreign Ministry; and Iranian parliamentarians too lashed out against China. Shargh Daily, on the other hand, blamed the regime’s imbalanced foreign policy and excessive reliance on China and Russia, rather than Chinese government, for what it perceived as a threat to Iran’s territorial integrity.

• December 10: Nasser Kanani, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, quoted by Tasnim, said the Chinese ambassador to Iran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, which made clear that Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are “inseparable and eternal parts of the land of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and condemned “any intervention in internal affairs and territory” of Iran.
• December 11: The Iranian Students’ News Agency reviewed Twitter accounts of Iranian parliamentarians reacting to the joint China-GCC statements:
  • Ahmad Naderi, Tehran: “China can’t even unify Taiwan with the mainland, but gives vain hopes to others.”
  • Jalal Rashidi Kouchi, Marvdasht: “Any statement breaching Iran’s sovereignty over the three islands means fire in the haystack of peace in West Asia.”
  • Nezam al-Din Mousavi, Tehran: “Just as the Islamic Republic of Iran does not intervene concerning Taiwan, China is expected to abstain from such interventions.”
  • Mohammad-Reza Ahmadi Sangari, Rasht: “We expect the government of China to have a similar position concerning the three islands of Iran that it wants other countries to have concerning Taiwan.”
  • Rouh-Allah Hazratpour, Urumia: “The latest claim of the government of China concerning Iran’s three islands is in clear breach of the international obligations of this country, including those of the Shanghai Pact … Had the Foreign Ministry dealt more decisively with China concerning various issues, including the massacre of Muslims in China, we would not have witnessed such audacities today.”
• December 11: An editorial published by Shargh Daily warned: “If China and Russia become Iran’s strategic intermediaries with the world, we will be reduced to passive players in international relations, losing not only the initiative, but our independence … It is true that we are encircled by the West, but there is a way out for which we must prepare the ground before we lose everything … In particular, since Iran can no longer use public diplomacy or mobilize the public opinion abroad, perhaps with the exception of a few African countries, … national accord ought to be the first step and a resolution to the nuclear issue the next … We will certainly face Western, Israeli, and Arab sabotage, but we must patiently move in that direction.”