Qalibaf Issues Stern Warning to Neighbors on Persian Gulf Islands Standoff
Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, has strongly rejected the repeated assertions regarding three Iranian islands featured in the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) concluding statement. Qalibaf cautioned neighboring countries against attempting to challenge the Islamic Republic's determination to protect its sovereignty.
In an open session of Parliament on Sunday, Qalibaf firmly rejected the assertions put forth in the recent statement by the Persian Gulf bloc concerning the three Iranian islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.
He asserted that such baseless and ridiculous allegations, frequently swayed by foreign influences, contravene the principles of respecting territorial integrity and upholding amicable neighborly relations.
Iran has urged its neighboring countries to avoid contesting the resolve of its people in protecting the nation’s territorial integrity and its islands in the Persian Gulf, which remain an essential part of the country, according to statements made by Qalibaf.
He asserted that Iran has persistently sought stability, the promotion of peace, and adherence to the principles of good-neighborliness, while anticipating that neighboring countries would reciprocate these values.
The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, along with the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, have been long recognized as part of Iran’s territorial heritage, a fact substantiated by a wealth of historical, legal, and geographical evidence from Iran and various global sources. Despite this, the United Arab Emirates continues to assert claims over these islands.
The islands came under British administration in 1921. However, on November 30, 1971, following the withdrawal of British forces from the area and merely two days prior to the establishment of the United Arab Emirates as an official federation, Iran regained sovereignty over the islands.
On November 30, Iran formally issued land demarcation and ownership documents for the islands of Abu Musa, as well as the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, affirming its sovereignty over these territories.
The State Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties has announced the official registration of title deeds under the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, underscoring the islands’ integral status as a part of Iranian territory.
The Judiciary emphasized that the initiative is in accordance with a broader national strategy designed to safeguard land resources and prevent unauthorized usage or encroachment.
