Iran dismisses Arab League statement over Iranian islands

TEHRAN,March 12(MNA) – Iran on Sunday dismissed the recent statement issued by the Arab League in which the United Arab Emirates’ claim of sovereignty over the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs in the Persian Gulf had been supported. According to Press TV, during a recent Arab League foreign ministerial meeting in the Egyptian capital Cairo, the members objected to the presence of Iranians on the three islands and called for an end to it. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that the statement was an act of interference in Iran’s internal affairs, adding that the statement had no legal and political credibility. Mehmanparast mentioned the developments taking place in Bahrain, Syria, and Palestine, saying that the Arab League’s statement about the Persian Gulf islands showed it was in a quandary over how to deal with the realities on the ground in the region. The three islands are inseparable parts of Iran’s territory, he said and expressed hope that the Arab League members would respect Iran’s national sovereignty and make efforts to help resolve regional problems.