China and Iran, natural partners.

Three days back the United Arab Emirates established diplomatic ties with Israel in a phone call with US President Donald Trump, in return for which Israel will suspend annexation of land in the West Bank. "The agreement will include establishing embassies and exchanging ambassadors, investments into the Israeli economy, trade, direct flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, an investment in Israeli efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine -- as first reported in the Jerusalem Post last month -- and cooperation in matters of energy and water." This is not the first peace deal between Israel and an Arab state. In 1979, Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt brokered by then President Jimmy Carter. As a result, Egypt President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood in 1981. In 1994, Israel reached a peace accord with Jordan. This followed the Oslo Accords in 1992 and 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), following which "Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shook hands". Rabin was assassinated for this in 1995 by Yigal Amir who belonged to the far-right Jewish group Eyal. "Just go down the scorecard, and you see how his deal affects every major party in the region -- those with pro-American, pro-moderate Islam, pro-ending-the-conflict-with-Israel-once-for-all camp benefiting the most and those in the radical pro-Iran, anti-American, pro-Islamist permanent-struggle-with-Israel camp all becoming more isolated and left behind," wrote Thomas L Friedman. As expected, Iran and Turkey condemned the deal, with Turkey vowing never to forget or forgive "this hypocritical behavior" by the UAE and Iran called it a "stab in the back" for all Muslims. On 2 August, the UAE commissioned one of four reactors in the Arab world's first nuclear power plant at Barakah, built with South Korean technology. The significance will not have been lost on Iran which is just across the Gulf. On 8 August, Iranian forces approached several tankers in the Persian Gulf and "boarded a Liberian-flagged tanker Wila as it was approaching the Khor Fakkan anchorage in the UAE". On 13 August, the US "successfully seized Iranian fuel from four tankers sailing to Venezuela". Both Iran and Venezuela are under US sanctions. On 11 August, 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in a warehouse at Beirut port, killing at least 200 people and injuring thousands. Since the explosion, angry people have been protesting against the government, demanding complete change of those in power. Since Iran's proxy militia Hezbollah controls power in Lebanon, and was in charge of the port, it has been blamed for the explosion, in a further blow to the regime in Tehran. Iran not only finds it difficult to sell its oil, but is finding it difficult to buy food and medicines as banks and companies in other countries are afraid to take its money for fear of violating US sanctions. So, Iran has reached an agreement with China, the nation which has enslaved Muslim Uighurs and forced their women to have abortions. No stab in the back there. And, Iran is ruled by Ayatollahs.