Beijing is rather reluctant to get deeply involved in intra-regional politics in the Middle East, as this could provoke new tensions with the U.S.
The current escalation in the Middle East has been described by many as a test of influence for China. For example, the media repeatedly suggested that the United States asked China to put pressure on Iran during the latest rounds of escalation, especially after the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Yet, if compared to Qatari, Egyptian...
... Ali Khamenei even Tweeted #UAEStabsMuslims on Sept. 1, in response to the deal. Subsequently, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General admonished Iran “for interfering in the domestic affairs of another country.”
Officials in the UAE ... ... has been accompanied by the establishment of a nuclear weapons program, and a territorial dispute over the Gulf islands Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. Iran’s ability to endanger critical sea choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz and the ...
... indeed yield better bilateral relations between Iran and some of its neighbours, it does not necessarily guarantee progress in terms of multilateral dialogue. If rewarding for the Iranians, this is not the best way forward. A coordinated approach by the GCC making a counter-offer on the basis on a limited crisis management mechanism specifically focused on the maritime security in the Gulf (and taking off the table some Iranian proposals such as those related to foreign military bases, which are not ...
