Tehran Rejects PGCC Statement on Iran’s Persian Gulf Islands


Tehran Rejects PGCC Statement on Iran’s Persian Gulf Islands

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman dismissed the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council’s (PGCC) latest statement about Iran’s three Persian Gulf islands.

“This statement is a blatant interference in the domestic affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Marziyeh Afkham said on Sunday.

Afkham said Iran condemns the statement which “originates from a lack of understanding about historical facts and the current conditions in the region”.

The PGCC Ministerial Council in a statement on Saturday once again repeated claims about the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ownership of the Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb.

Afkham said the Islamic Republic of Iran’s principled policy toward the Persian Gulf countries is maintaining good-neighborly relations, reciprocal respect, and non-interference in the internal affairs of others.

She also reiterated Tehran’s readiness to expand relations with the Persian Gulf littoral states.

The Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa have historically been part of Iran, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. 

The islands fell under British control in 1921 but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran's sovereignty over the islands was restored.

Iran recognizes that Arabs ruled the islands for centuries, but all historical documents show that they did so from the Iranian port city of Lengheh and therefore as Iranian subjects.

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