Russia Tries To Control Damage Over Iran Island Spat

Despite Russia’s siding with the UAE this week regarding sovereignty over three Iranian islands, Moscow has tried to somewhat contain the fallout.

Last week Russia supported the United Arab Emirates’ sovereignty over three contested islands - Abu Musa, and the Greater and Lesser Tunb - in the Persian Gulf, causing diplomatic frictions with Iran.

In a bid to repair the diplomatic furor, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikahil Bogdanov told Iran’s ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali on Friday that “the Russian Federation respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the friendly country of Iran”.

IRNA, the state news agency claimed that the remarks indicated that Russia had revised its position on the three islands.

However, a tweet by the account of the Russian Foreign Ministry used the term Arab Gulf for the Persian Gulf on Wednesday to insist on its stance. The move by the Russian Foreign Ministry again drew widespread criticism from Iranians on social media.

The Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's ambassador and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdolahian and government spokesman Ali Bahadori wrote in separate tweets that "Iran will not compromise over its national interests and territorial integrity."

However, Tehran’s official reaction to Russia has been meek. The two have collaborated more deeply over the last year, including Iran’s providing Russia with drones and ammunition for its war in Ukraine.

Social media users recognized that officials had made a compromise by not naming Russia in their tweets as tensions simmered behind the scenes.