FM Spokesman Rejects Claims On 3 Iranian Islands

Tehran, May 16, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, on Tuesday dismissed claims on the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf as 'unfounded' and without any political and judicial justification. “Raising or repeating any claim on the three Iranian islands are unreasonable from the standpoint of the Islamic Republic of Iran; they (the claims) are fully rejected and lack any political or judicial justification and are in contradiction of the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries,” said Mehmanparast in reaction to claims raised on the sidelines of a session of some numbers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh. Mehmanparast underlined the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in establishing peace, stability and security of the region. “The key to crisis in Bahrain is addressing the legitimate demands of the Bahraini people and any foreign intervention or offering unprincipled plans against the wishes of the public would only lead to prolongation of the existing problems.” He said Iran believes that the real authority of regional states lie in the support of the majority of their people for them. “Regional cooperation within that framework would secure interests of the the World of Islam and defuse the plots of the Zionist regime,” concluded Mehmanparast. The UAE, supported by a few Pan-Arab rulers, has recently augmented its claim on the three Persian Gulf islands. The small Arab state, which defies international treaties and documents on the Iranian ownership of three Persian Gulf islands, recently recalled its ambassador from Tehran after Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Abu Musa island whose sovereignty has been a main bone of contention in the two countries' ties. In reply, Tehran said the visit was an issue related to Iran's state sovereignty, reiterating that the three Persian Gulf islands are indispensible part of the Iranian territory. Iran's government and military authorities have issued serious warnings to the UAE and its backers, cautioning them to back off from Iranian territories. International documents clearly show that the three islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa which were historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control in 1903. The islands were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE was born. Iran has repeatedly declared that its ownership of the three islands is unquestionable. Under international law, no state can defy any agreement, which came into being before its establishment. Yet, the UAE continues to make territorial claims against the Islamic Republic despite historical evidence and international regulations./end