Iran reaffirmed Saturday its sovereignty over three strategic Gulf islands that it occupies despite claims to them by the United Arab Emirates, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"The Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf belong eternally to Iran and are an integral part of the Islamic Republic of Iran," foreign affairs ministry spokesman Hamid Assefi was quoted as saying.
He was referring to three islands -- Abu Mussa, the Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb -- which Iran occupied after Britain withdrew from the region nearly 30 years ago.
Sovereignty over them is also claimed by the UAE, which Friday reasserted its right to the islands.
The UAE's president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, speaking on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the country's founding, called for Iran to end its occupation.
"Despite the will of the Emirates to put an end to the Iranian occupation ... through the path of serious negotiation, or by recourse to the judgement of the International Court of Justice, Tehran refuses to favourably answer our demands," Sheikh Zayed said.
Commenting on that, Assefi said "repetition of baseless claims does nothing but aggravate misunderstanding and problems in the region."
Assefi added his "advice" to the Emirati authorities, cautioning them against making "such out of place declarations ... and to be vigilant in the face of great power machinations, particularly now, when the region is living through the Palestinian Intifada (uprising) and the growing threats of Israel."
That said, Assefi affirmed that Iran is open to "any direct and unconditional dialogue with the Emirates based on the 1971 accords."
He was referring to an accord with the emir of Fujairah, one of the states that comprises the UAE, under which Iran occupied the islands at the time of the British withdrawal in 1971 – TEHRAN (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
