China Supports UAE's Claim to Three Persian Gulf Islands, Drawing Iran's Strong Protest (Yonhap News)

Iran has protested after China backed the UAE's "baseless claims" regarding three islands in the Persian Gulf that are the subject of a territorial dispute between Iran and the UAE. This is an unusual response from Iran, which is under US sanctions and is seeking to improve relations with China. While China has been actively pursuing Middle Eastern diplomacy with the goal of expanding its global influence, it has incurred a significant loss by angering Iran, with which it has maintained friendly relations.

The issue at the heart of Iran's complaint is a joint statement released by China and the UAE on May 30. The statement indicated that China "supports the UAE's efforts to seek a peaceful resolution through bilateral negotiations" regarding the three islands – Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa – located near the Strait of Hormuz, which the UAE claims sovereignty over and Iran effectively controls. Iran considers China's support for the UAE's claim as a violation of its sovereignty and worries that it could negatively impact the improvement of relations between the two countries.

China has yet to issue an official statement in response to Iran's protest. However, it appears that China, which has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to expand its influence in the Middle East recently, has accepted the deterioration of relations with Iran in order to strengthen its ties with the UAE. This incident highlights the challenges China faces in pursuing a balanced foreign policy in the Middle East.