Iran Reiterates Sovereignty over Disputed Gulf IslandsIran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi reiterated December 2 his country's sovereignty over three strategic islands in the Persian Gulf which are also claimed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."The three islands are an inalienable part of Iran's territory and will forever be owned by Iran," Asefi was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying. He also termed a recent statement by UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan on the three islands as "baseless assertions," warning that those assertions "will have no result other than intensification of misunderstanding and adding to the regional problems." The three islands of Abu Mussa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs are located near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important oil routes in the world. They have been controlled by Iran since the withdrawal of British colonists from the Gulf in 1971. But the UAE also claims their sovereignty. UAE President Zayed said Friday that Iran's continued "occupation" of the three islands was hampering Tehran's relations with its Arab neighbors and disturbing the Gulf region. In a speech to mark the UAE's National Day, Zayed said that his country would pursue efforts to win back the three islands. He also accused Iran of not responding to calls for talks on the islands. Asefi, however, said UAE officials should watch out for moves by foreign powers to create more disturbances in the region, especially at such a time when the Palestinians are being killed by Israeli soldiers. He warned that UAE officials should not state any remarks that would benefit none of the countries in the region. The spokesman also repeated Iran's readiness to hold talks with the UAE without any preconditions. The UAE has also called for talks with Iran, but insists those talks must have a clear agenda and a specific timetable. It also suggests referring the dispute to international arbitration if negotiations fail. A tripartite committee, consisting of foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, was set up in 1999 to try to help Iran and the UAE resolve their long-time dispute, but has yet to produce any results. Despite the dispute, Iran has improved relations with its Gulf Arab neighbors, especially since liberal President Mohammad Khatami took office in 1997. |
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