Abu Musa Island is close to 13 square kilometers and it is 46 meters above sea level. It has over 2,000 inhabitants and a population close to 5,000. The Island is 75 kilometers from port city of Bandar Lengeh and 16 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. Abu Musa is the farthest island out of the 14 islands of Hormozgan province off the Iranian coast.
Iran moved to reattach the island politically to the mainland after Britain ended its administrative and military positions in the Persian Gulf back in 1968. On November 30th 1971 Iran and Sharjah, the 3rd largest city in the UAE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding where Iran would station its troops in Abu Musa. In 1980 the UAE took its claim over Abu Musa Island to the United Nations. However it was rejected by the UN Security Council and the issue was closed.
Iran’s historical sovereignty over Abu Musa goes back to the Parthian and Sassanid Empires among others. Many historians say the U-A-E’s claim of ownership is baseless because the country was only established back in 1971.
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Abu Musa Island is part of Hormozgan province in Iran. The island is located in the east of Persian Gulf. It is part of a six-island archipelago near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has always maintained sovereignty over the island, despite claims by the United Arab Emirates.
News ID 182512
