The flag of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) flies in front of its headquarters during a board of governors meeting in Vienna November 28, 2013.[/caption]TEHRAN (Tasnim) The Islamic Republic of Iran has objected to the use of a forged name for the Persian Gulf in a document published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In an IAEA Country Nuclear Power Profile (CNPP) page related to the United Arab Emirates, a fake name has been used for the Persian Gulf and the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb have been falsely considered to belong to the UAE.
CNPP compiles background information on the status and development of nuclear power programs in IAEA member states.
Irans permanent representative to the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, submitted a protest letter to the international agency on September 12, but no steps have been taken so far to address the issue.
According to the 2007 United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, Persian Gulf is the only valid or credible name to refer to the body of water separating Iran from the Arabian Peninsula.
Several international scientific conferences have been held in recent years to discuss the historical roots of the Persian Gulf.
Some regional countries and Western publications, however, continue to distort historical facts by using a forged name or omitting "Persian" from the full name.
As for Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, the UAE has repeatedly claimed ownership of the islands in recent years despite the fact that they have historically been part of Iran, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.
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.
Iran recognizes that Arabs ruled the islands for centuries, but all historical documents show that they did so from the Iranian port city of Lengheh and therefore as Iranian subjects.
By Tasnim News Agency
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