GCC condemns Iranian 'fallacies' about sovereignty of three occupied islands

General Secretary criticises Tehran for statements about territory, seized in 1971, that belongs to the UAE

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, met other Gulf leaders at last week's GCC summit in Bahrain. Photo: Handout

The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) has condemned statements made by Iran that “infringe” on the UAE's rights over its occupied islands.

GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said Iran's recent remarks about sovereignty of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb contained “fallacies and false claims”.

“These statements infringe upon the rights of the UAE regarding its three islands, which are occupied by Iran,” said Mr Albudaiwi.

CommentThe GCC summit in Bahrain had echoes of the 1815 Vienna Congress

Read More

They also “contradict the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and good neighbourliness – principles which Iran violated through its aggression against the sovereignty and independence of the State of Qatar,” he added, referring to Iran's attack on Al Udeid US airbase in Doha during its 12-day war with Israel.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, reiterated his country's claim to the islands on Sunday.

“In terms of history, in terms of law, and in terms of what exists in reality, there is no doubt and no scepticism about the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb,” he said.

The three islands in the Arabian Gulf have been a point of contention between the UAE and Iran since they were seized by Tehran in 1971, leading to a decades-old quarrel.

The islands sit near an important oil shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz. For years, the UAE has pushed for arbitration to settle the status of the islands in accordance with international law.

The GCC Secretary General's response came after Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament of Iran, warned on Saturday that that its neighbours should not test the Iranian people's will to defend their territorial integrity.

Mr Ghalibaf said the GCC's rejection of Iran's sovereignty over the islands relied on “baseless and absurd claims encouraged by outside actors”.

The territories, Mr Ghalibaf added, were “pieces of Iran’s body,” urging regional states to avoid actions that could escalate tension.

Gulf leaders met in Bahrain last week for the 46th ordinary summit of the GCC, where they tackled a range of urgent issues, including security, innovation and regional diplomacy.

In the bloc’s closing statement, the Supreme Council reaffirmed its “condemnation of Iran’s continued occupation of the three islands belonging to the UAE”.

It also condemned construction efforts to settle Iranians on the islands, Iran's military manoeuvres on the islands, repeated visits by Iranian officials to the islands and “all escalatory hostile statements directed against the UAE”.

The council called on Iran to “respond to the UAE's efforts to resolve the issue through direct negotiations or by referring it to the International Court of Justice”.