China has unsettled Iran by backing the United Arab Emirates in a decades-old dispute over three strategically located islands in the Persian Gulf.
Beijing’s position has reignited a sensitive sovereignty issue for Tehran and intensified scrutiny of China’s regional balancing act, as it works to deepen relations with Arab Gulf states while preserving its much-touted strategic partnership with Iran.
Why It Matters
The episode underscores the limits of Iran’s ability to count on China at a moment when Tehran is increasingly looking east to offset Western pressure and sanctions. Iranian officials have often presented ties with Beijing as a cornerstone of foreign policy, but China’s stance on the islands suggests it is prepared to prioritize broader regional relationships and energy interests.
The dispute also has implications beyond bilateral politics. The three islands sit near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption is shipped—making the question of their status a recurring point of concern for energy markets.
What to Know
Tensions flared this week after a joint statement was issued following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Abu Dhabi. In the statement, Beijing expressed “support for the efforts of the UAE to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute” over Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei pushed back, criticizing what he described as the UAE’s “insistence on misusing every diplomatic delegation’s visit” to advance its claims. Although Baqaei did not explicitly name China, Iranian media treated the remarks as an indication of a diplomatic blow for Tehran.
Media Backlash
Even without a direct official rebuke of Beijing, Iranian media outlets and political figures reacted sharply, casting China’s position as a challenge to Iran’s sovereignty.
The hard-line newspaper Kayhan argued that China’s stance conflicted with its own red lines, suggesting Beijing “has implicitly accepted that its own claim over Taiwan is disputable and should be resolved through negotiations.”
Ahmad Naderi, a member of the presiding board of Iran’s conservative-leaning parliament, accused China of applying a “double standard,” arguing Beijing cannot demand strict adherence to its One China policy while appearing to question Iran’s territorial integrity.
The state-affiliated Mehr news agency echoed that argument, noting that China treats “any mention of its territorial integrity a violation of its security red line,” and said Beijing’s endorsement of the joint statement “is unjustifiable and cannot be ignored.”
Origins of the Islands Dispute
The sovereignty dispute stretches back more than five decades. Iran took control of the three islands on November 30, 1971—one day before Britain withdrew from the Persian Gulf and the UAE was formally established. Tehran argues its claims go back centuries, to the Persian Empire.
British files declassified in 2022 indicated that London agreed to transfer Greater and Lesser Tunb to Iran while establishing a joint Iranian–Emirati administration over Abu Musa. Tensions escalated in the early 1990s, when Iran tightened control over Abu Musa and expanded its military presence.
Iran has repeatedly rejected calls by Gulf Arab states for arbitration or adjudication, including at the International Court of Justice, insisting the islands are an inalienable part of its territory.
What Happens Next
Iran is unlikely to shift its stance on the islands. But China’s continued alignment with Gulf Arab positions is expected to fuel debate inside Iran about the risks of depending on strategic partners whose regional priorities may increasingly diverge from Tehran’s own.
