Watan-In surprising statements that caused a significant stir and controversy within the Emirates, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, announced that “Parliament has practically responded to what he referred to as Abu Dhabi’s claims about the three Iranian islands—meaning the occupied Emirates islands—by instructing the government to develop these islands.”
Iranian-Russian disagreements emerged after the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Russia held talks in July last year at the foreign ministerial level. Moscow, at the end of the talks, called for a “peaceful solution” to the issue of the three occupied Emirates islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.
Russian-Iranian Tension Due to Abu Dhabi
In a joint statement issued during the Russian-Gulf meeting, both sides called for a solution through “bilateral negotiations or through the International Court of Justice, according to international law and the United Nations Charter.”
Following this, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the summoning of the Russian ambassador to Tehran in protest of Moscow’s explicit support for the UAE’s demand for three small islands in the Gulf that are controlled by Iran.
۱.در برنامۀ هفتم، دولت به توسعهٔ شهرستان بوموسی با محوریت جزایر ۳گانه در زمینه‌های مختلف بازرگانی، اقتصاد دریامحور، آموزش عالی، درمانی و…مکلف شده است. این پاسخ عملی ایران به امارات است که با جدیت دولت در اجرا، همگان بوموسایی متفاوت را بعنوان بخشی از سرزمین مادری‌مان خواهند دید.
— محمدباقر قالیباف (@mb_ghalibaf) December 22, 2023
The “Mehr” news agency reported that the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament commented on the statement of the Sixth Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, which recently took place in Morocco, in a tweet on the Telegram platform.
Ghalibaf wrote in his post: “In the seventh program, the government has been tasked with developing the city of Abu Musa and the three islands in various fields, including trade, a maritime-focused economy, higher education, healthcare, and more.”
The Iranian official mentioned in his tweet that this is “Iran’s practical response to the UAE, and everyone will see the city of Abu Musa completely different from what it was before, as part of our beloved homeland,” according to his description.
He warned Moscow that “relations with it are based on Iranian national interests and mutual respect. Any claim aimed at compromising the integrity of Iranian territories is certainly contrary to these principles and will be evaluated on this basis by Iran, and it will be met with a serious response,” according to Ghalibaf.
What is the story of the three islands?
The occupied Emirates Islands are located east of the Arabian Gulf. While the UAE claims them as part of its territory and demands Iran – which has controlled them since 1971 – to return them, Tehran asserts that its ownership of the islands is “non-negotiable.”
Despite the small size of these islands, their strategic and economic importance is significant, causing the conflict as they are situated in a sensitive area of the Arabian Gulf. They oversee the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 40% of the world’s oil production passes daily. Whoever controls these islands has influence over maritime traffic in the Arabian Gulf.
Due to their crucial location, these islands are suitable for military uses, making them a convenient center for military surveillance. Additionally, they hold economic importance as they are rich in some vital natural resources such as petroleum, red iron oxide, iron sulfate, and sulfur.
Iran claims that it has “never relinquished its sovereignty” over the three islands during the British presence, and its ownership is “non-negotiable” as they have been an integral part of Iranian territory since ancient times.
Iran repeats allegations that what it calls “misunderstanding” in this matter can only be resolved through “direct and unconditional negotiations between the two countries,” and any statements issued by the UAE on this issue are “completely rejected as interference in Iranian affairs.”