In an interview with the Tehran-based Jam-e Jam newspaper, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani underscored Iran’s historic and indisputable sovereignty over the three islands, saying that a powerful, vigilant, and united Iran will never allow any power to infringe upon its territorial integrity.
Rear Admiral Irani highlighted the geographic, economic, military, and geopolitical significance of the islands, noting that their location enables the Islamic Republic of Iran to maintain effective control over the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that both the surface and subsurface areas of these islands contain diverse and extensive fossil and marine resources.
According to the navy commander, from a geopolitical and military perspective, control over the three islands is as strategically important as possessing aircraft carriers, as the islands can serve as critical positions for strengthening Iran’s defensive and security capabilities in the face of potential threats.
He further emphasized that the islands also hold considerable economic potential due to their clear waters, rich marine biodiversity, and sub-surface coral formations, offering strong prospects for nature-based and maritime tourism.
Rear Admiral Irani noted that the islands overlook the main waterways entering and exiting the Persian Gulf—an element that has prompted some regional states, influenced by extra-regional powers, to raise unfounded claims in an attempt to create tension around the islands.
He asserted that Iran’s adversaries must not assume they can undermine Iran’s sovereignty by promoting fabricated disputes. Based on historical and legal evidence, Iran’s ownership of the three Persian Gulf islands is definitive, continuous, and indisputable.
