Tehran Lawmaker Rebukes Russia For Using Iran As ‘Playing Card’

A member of the Iranian parliament's national security commission has asserted that Russia cannot treat Iran as a mere "trump card or playing card."

Ebrahim Azizi underscored that the resilience of Russia's "glass palace" is directly linked to Iran's power and influence in the region.

Tehran and Moscow have been close political and military allies in the Middle East and the wider region for the past decade.

The declaration comes in response to Moscow's public endorsement of Arab claims to three strategically important Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

In a joint declaration issued in Morocco, Russia and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) openly expressed their support for the United Arab Emirates, which lays claim to sovereignty over the islands. The ongoing discord surfaces every time during joint summits between the GCC and the Russian Federation, operating within the framework of Russian-Arab Cooperation.

Criticism has emerged from various quarters in Iran, including the media, opposition activists, and the general public, who perceive the regime's response to Russia's alignment with Arab states as inadequate.

Despite historical and geographical evidence validating the islands' connection to Iran, the United Arab Emirates consistently asserts its claim, characterizing the situation as the "continued occupation by the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Originally under British control in 1921, the islands took on new significance when, on November 30, 1971, just two days before the UAE officially federated, the Iranian navy secured control. Presently, Iranian forces maintain control of the islands, with only Abu Musa hosting a population of fewer than two thousand civilians.

Russia's alignment with Arab states has ignited discussions within Iran about the potential exploitation of Moscow's ties with Tehran in recent years, raising concerns about the geopolitical implications of the alignment.