Iran rejects ‘unacceptable’ Arab League statement on Persian Gulf islands

According to The Iran Project, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani made the remarks on Thursday after the 33rd Arab League summit repeated the United Arab Emirates’ claim to the trio of the Iranian islands in its final statement following a meeting in the Bahraini capital Manama.

“It has been stated and emphasized time and again that the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are an integral and eternal part of the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.

The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, an geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.
However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

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.
Additionally in its statement, the 22-member Arab League called for an immediate end to the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Palestinian territory, the lifting of an Israeli siege, and the opening of all crossings for the entry humanitarian aid.

Kan’ani welcomed the points raised in the statement in defense of the oppressed people of Palestine and the condemnation of the Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

He also emphasized the need for further unity among Muslim countries to stop Israeli atrocities.
Since early October, Israel has killed at least 35,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 79,205 others.

Reporter : Editorial of The Iran Project