Is Cina Ditching Iran ?

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia last week has left Iran stunned.
 
A joint statement issued after a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) referred to Iran as a supporter of terrorist groups and a proliferator of drones. It not only noted the need to address Iran's nuclear program, but also Tehran's "destabilizing regional activities."
 
For Iranian officials, who have long held that the nuclear negotiations should be solely about its nuclear program, the inclusion of "destabilizing regional activities" came as a surprise.
 
Furthermore, the joint statement raised the issue of three islands located in the Strait of Hormuz -- Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa -- which are administered by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates, in a way that seemed sympathetic to the UAE's position.
 
China has long refrained from taking sides in the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, under the banner of non-interference. Xi's embrace of the Saudi talking points in the joint statement has left policymakers in Tehran wondering if there is a change of direction in China's policies toward the region, especially in the wake of a reduced U.S. presence there.