Xi’s China-Arab summit success in Riyadh raises temperatures in Iran
- In a meeting in Tehran with the Iranian president, Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua hears ‘complaints of the nation’
- Iran’s ‘strong dissatisfaction’ was also made clear to China’s ambassador a day after joint declaration from Xi and Gulf leaders
In a meeting with Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua in Tehran on Tuesday, Raisi said some of the positions raised during Xi’s meetings with leaders from around the region “caused dissatisfaction and complaints of the nation and the government”.
The statement from the Iranian presidential office did not give details of what compensation may be sought. Nor did it refer to Friday’s declaration by China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is known to have angered Tehran.
Iran’s “strong dissatisfaction” over the joint statement was made clear on Saturday, at a meeting between China’s ambassador to Tehran Chang Hua and the Iranian foreign minister’s deputy for Asia-Pacific affairs.
At their summit, Xi and the Arab leaders agreed to make sure that Iran’s nuclear programme was peaceful, and also that GCC member United Arab Emirates should resolve its territorial dispute with Iran – over strategic islands in the Strait of Hormuz – by negotiation.
Iran took control of the islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs in 1971, before the governing Gulf sheikdoms gained independence from Britain to form the UAE with other sheikdoms.