Russia, China view Iran as friend, not strategic ally: ex-ambassador
Seyed Jalal Sadatian, Iran’s former ambassador to the UK, has said that Russia and China do not see Iran as their strategic ally. They view Iran only as a fiend.
He made the remarks in an interview with ILNA after Russia issued a controversial joint statement with the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf in which they questioned Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Mousa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb.
“We must do publicity work on all these historical issues with various forms of publicity such as making films, brochures, etc., so that the definitive ownership of the three islands is known to the whole world,” Sadatian told ILNA.
Responding to a question on why Russia and China have taken stances that questions Iran’s territorial integrity, the former ambassador said, “The first point is that we consider some countries like China and Russia to be our strategic allies unilaterally. While they do not have such a definition of their relationship with us. They refer to us as a friend, not strategic ally. The second point is that countries adjust their relations with us based on their own national interests, not on dreams and imaginations.”
He added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran should be able to use all its geopolitical capacities to show off its superior position in the region to the neighboring countries.”
He also said that Iran must use diplomacy. “Today, you see, the Arab countries are working on the islands for their own benefit in organizing special competitions, distributing clothes with slogans on them, giving gifts to tourists,” he added.