TEHRAN- Iranian Ambassador to China Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh has said that Iran lodged a protesting note to the Chinese authorities over the recently-issued China-GCC joint statement.

“During the meeting with the high-profile Chinese political figures, I presented them a note of protest, calling for more attention to the sensitive topics of the region,” the envoy tweeted. 

The Chinese part underscored the necessity to respect the Iranian territorial integrity and called the ties between Tehran and Beijing as strategic, the diplomat added. 

It is worth adding that the Chinese part also noted that the 25-year partnership with Iran in the West Asian region has signified such a momentum, he remarked.        

Iran and China signed a landmark 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership in March 2021 in defiance of the United States’ unilateral sanctions.

Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with GCC leaders. They issued a joint statement that consisted of a number of issues directly related to Iran, including its nuclear program, regional policies, and its ownership over the Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

In reaction to the joint statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian once again reaffirmed that the three islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs are “inseparable” and “eternal” parts of the country's territory, emphasizing that Tehran will never compromise on its territorial integrity.