The Chinese state propaganda outlet Global Times declared on Sunday that a deal to restore diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered in China was “signaling the waning of Washington’s influence,” accusing far-left President Joe Biden’s administration of “sour grapes” over the news.
The Global Times cited a commentary in Sputnik News, a Russian propaganda outlet, that declared China’s intervention in the Middle East threatens to “push [the] US out of the Gulf” region.
The Russian and Chinese state news outlets both declared the return of diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Tehran as a defeat for Washington, though Biden administration officials welcomed the news, and the Biden administration did not appear to have any influence over the countries’ decision in either direction.
Iran and Saudi Arabia – as the world’s two most prominent Shia Muslim and Sunni Muslim countries, respectively – have for decades struggled with a contentious, if not outright violent, relationship. They are currently engaged in an ongoing proxy war in Yemen, where the Iran-allied Houthi terrorist movement overthrew the legitimate Sunni government in 2014. The two also regularly accuse each other of not being authentically Muslim governments, and Iran has advocated for stripping the Saudi government of custodianship of the two holiest sites in Islam, the cities of Mecca and Medina.
The news that both Iran and Saudi Arabia were interested in joining the BRICS coalition preceded the announcement on Friday that, despite ongoing difficulties in the relationship, the two would welcome their respective ambassadors. Named after its member states, BRICS unites Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa for economic cooperation and diplomatic support. While primarily a platform to facilitate trade, BRICS countries have tended to support each other’s political ambitions despite tensions outside of the coalition. For example, Brazil has not opposed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and India has not condemned China’s genocide of Muslim populations in East Turkistan. The support continues despite Brazil and Russia not traditionally being close allies and India and China being bitter rivals, engaging in deadly military exchanges on their mutual border.
BRICS member countries have named both Iran and Saudi Arabia as potential new members, but being part of the coalition would require a thaw in relations.
According to the Global Times, citing Russia’s Sputnik outlet, “Almost all the major media in the US and other countries admitted that the landmark agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran … can be regarded as a watershed in the Middle East, signaling the waning of Washington’s influence.”
“It is clear that China’s approach has been accepted and welcomed by most countries, which also proves that the decline of US influence in the Middle East is being caused by the US itself, not by China,” a Chinese regime-friendly “professor,” Ding Long, was quoted as saying.
Citing unnamed “analysts,” the Times insisted that Washington was “actually worried” about any attempts to engage in diplomacy between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The Sputnik News article heavily cited in Chinese state media insisted that the Iran-Saudi Arabia deal “was met with sour grapes in Washington.”
“The Biden administration’s utter lack of involvement in the negotiations which culminated in the Iran-Saudi diplomatic deal secured by China is a warning sign signaling the waning of Washington’s influence and power in the Middle East,” Sputnik claimed in language almost lifted verbatim by the Global Times.
Sputnik quoted remarks on Friday that top Biden administration official John Kirby made in which he plainly said that Washington “welcome[d] the agreement,” though he added, “It really does remain to be seen whether the Iranians are going to honor their side of the deal.”
On Sunday, in an interview not covered in Sputnik’s coverage, Kirby insisted, “No sour grapes here.”
“Again, if this thing has the effect that we want it to have, that’s a good thing,” Kirby said, “And the President is very comfortable with our leadership in the Middle East region, the partnerships that we have there, the relationships, and all the efforts that we are doing to hold Iran accountable.”
The Chinese government, through its Foreign Ministry, issued a statement on Saturday taking nearly full credit for any restoration of contact between the two Middle Eastern countries, claiming that the agreement to restore diplomatic exchanges came about in talks held in Beijing from March 6 through 10. The Chinese Communist Party Politburo, China claimed, was directly involved in conversations with both sides while their representatives were in Beijing.
“They agreed to resume diplomatic relations, and carry out cooperation in various fields. The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. “Saudi Arabia and Iran also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to China for hosting and sponsoring the talks, and the efforts it placed towards its success.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan expressed caution about the potential of the agreement in an interview with Saudi newspaper Al Sharq Al Awsat this weekend, as translated by another Saudi outlet, al-Arabiya.
“We in the Kingdom hope to open a new chapter with Iran and to enhance the prospects of cooperation in a way that positively impacts the strengthening of security and stability, and the advancement of development and prosperity, not only in our two countries, but in the region as a whole,” Prince Faisal said. He added that the deal did not necessarily mean that they had succeeded in “resolving all the differences between the two countries” and expressed particular concern about Iran’s nuclear development.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, in its regular briefing on Monday, limited expressing any reservations about the deal.
“The agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to return to their natural political relations can once again activate the two countries’ high capacity in various fields,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani celebrated. “By expanding their cooperation, Tehran and Riyadh can help secure the interests of their nations. They can also have a positive effect on strengthening joint cooperation and convergence in the region in order to consolidate regional peace and stability, especially in the strategic Persian Gulf region.”
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