Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reaffirmed Tehran’s claim over the Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa islands in response to the United Arab Emirates’ appeal to the United Nations regarding these territories. Velayati stated, “Experience in the region has shown that imported security has an expiration date.” He emphasised that a country that has existed for less than fifty years cannot lay claim to islands that have been recorded in historical maps for centuries as Iranian territory. He insisted that geography does not change through declarations and affirmed that the three islands “have always been Iranian and will remain Iranian.”
UAE’s Ongoing Claims
This latest declaration comes just days after a speech by UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. In his address, Al Marar reiterated the UAE’s position on the ongoing Iranian occupation of the three islands, highlighting his country’s commitment to resolving the dispute through direct negotiations or by seeking adjudication from the International Court of Justice.
Iran’s Firm Stance
Velayati’s comments were not the first Iranian responses to the UAE’s claims. Shortly after the Emirati speech, Nasser Asadi, a member of the Iranian delegation at the UN, asserted that the islands are an inseparable part of Iranian territory and that sovereignty over them is non-negotiable. Additionally, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharib Abadi, stated on social media platform X that the repetitive Emirati demands, even when voiced at the UN General Assembly, do not alter what Tehran considers historical and legal facts.
Warnings to the UAE
On a related note, Iranian politician Mohsen Rezaei warned the UAE that the hosting of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have negative consequences. He urged Abu Dhabi to cease what he termed as “baseless claims” regarding the Iranian islands and noted that the presence of American military bases has not brought safety to the UAE.