Baqaei said Thursday that the islands are an “inseparable part of Iran’s territorial integrity” and that any territorial claim over them is “groundless and invalid,” adding that such positions run counter to the principles of respect for states’ territorial integrity and good neighborliness.
He said Iran has exercised “effective, continuous and undisputed” sovereignty over the three islands for centuries, and repeated assertions do not change “geographical and historical realities” nor create any legal rights for claimants.
Reiterating Iran’s policy of good neighborliness and cooperation to safeguard regional security and stability, Baghaei urged the UAE and the GCC to avoid provocative positions that undermine neighborly relations.
The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and 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.
Baqaei also dismissed unilateral claims by Kuwait regarding the Arash gas field, saying repeated statements and unilateral assertions “create no legal rights” for Kuwait.
He said achieving a fair and lasting agreement on the field requires bilateral dialogue, joint efforts and a constructive atmosphere to secure mutual interests.
Iran maintains that it holds clear and established rights to a share of the Arash gas field, asserting that the offshore reservoir is a joint field between Iran and Kuwait, with historical records showing six decades of bilateral recognition of each side’s stake.
Nearly 40% of the field lies in Iranian waters. Iranian officials insist that unilateral actions by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, including their 2022 agreement to jointly develop the field, lack legal basis because the maritime boundaries involving all three states have never been formally demarcated.
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