Ambassadors and Diplomats Protest China's and Russia's Approach; The High Cost of One-Sided Eastward Orientation

A group of senior ambassadors and diplomats of the Islamic Republic issued a statement in response to China's and Russia's approach towards Iran's territorial integrity, the Persian Gulf, and the three Iranian islands. The statement reads, "Unfortunately, once again in the realm of diplomatic relations with countries, we witness that the Russian Federation, like the People's Republic of China, has made Iran's territorial integrity a bargaining chip to pursue its regional goals and interests, thereby showing blatant disregard for Iran's national interests in the international arena." The signatories of the statement also noted: "The one-sided eastward orientation and extreme anti-Western stance, along with the denial of balanced relations with countries and global powers without regard to Iran's geopolitical requirements, have inflicted irreparable damages on the country's interests and imposed exorbitant costs." According to these diplomats of the Islamic Republic, "A balanced foreign policy in regional and global relations, a realistic approach in interactions with countries, and refraining from adopting biased positions on issues that affect national interests and the welfare of the Iranian people can drive a smart foreign policy in the current circumstances." While state media claim a change in the Russian officials' stance regarding the Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, investigations show that this claim by officials and state media is "not accurate." Maryam Shakirani, a journalist for Shargh newspaper, reported on Twitter on Saturday night, July 15, about a "different narrative" from the IRNA news agency and the Russian news agency regarding a news item, stating: "IRNA reported that Putin's representative emphasized respect for Iran's territorial integrity in a meeting with Kazem Jalali (the Islamic Republic's ambassador in Moscow) and corrected his stance on the three islands." According to this journalist, the Russian news agency TASS, however, reported that the Russian representative, at the request of the Iranian ambassador, "accepted him for a meeting." This Russian news agency also repeatedly used the term "Gulf" instead of "Persian Gulf" and insisted on its previous positions regarding the resolution of the dispute between Iran and the UAE over the three islands. The dispatch of American fighter jets to the Persian Gulf to counter the seizure of ships by Iran continues, as Hossein Hassan-Yari noted that the distrust of the Arab Gulf states towards the Islamic Republic persists. A senior Pentagon official stated that China, Russia, and Iran remain at the center of CENTCOM's attention. Conflicting narratives about Russia's "retreat" from its positions regarding the Iranian islands and the Persian Gulf continue, with a newspaper criticizing Islamic Republic officials for "relying on the wind": Russia is "the most untrustworthy." The United States is sending F-16 fighter jets to the Persian Gulf.