Iran’s UN envoy refutes Arab League claim on Persian Gulf trio islands

In a Saturday letter addressed to the UN Security Council, Iravani wrote that Tehran strongly condemns and categorically rejects the unjustified and baseless allegation against its sovereignty and territorial integrity in Paragraph 11 of the League of Arab States’ declaration, which repeats the United Arab Emirates’ claim to the trio of the Iranian islands.

Iravani noted that Tehran considers the declaration, which was conveyed by the Permanent Representative of Bahrain to the United Nations Jamal al-Rowaiei to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and then rotating president of the Security Council Pedro Comissário Afonso back on May 20, as a flagrant and unjustified interference in its internal affairs.

“This action directly contradicts the spirit of good neighborliness and constitutes a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, particularly the well-established principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs,” the senior Iranian diplomat stated.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its sovereignty over the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf,” he stated.

Iravani also stressed that Iran rejects and condemns the use of a fabricated name for the Persian Gulf in Paragraphs 11 and 16 of the aforementioned declaration.

“Iran reiterates that “The Persian Gulf” is the only legitimate and valid geographical designation for the body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, a name that has been used since ancient times.”

“All reputable cartographic organizations recognize and refer to this marine area as the “Persian Gulf” that must be respected by all,” he highlighted.

The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

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.