UAE protest letter arrives at UN Security Council

ISLAND PROTEST: The UAE has sent a letter of protest to the UN Security Council over Abu Musa island.

The UAE government has handed in its official letter of protest to the UN Security Council regarding Iran's occupation of Abu Musa island.

The letter, which was lodged on Thursday in New York, reiterates the UAE's protest after Tehran established a maritime rescue office and a ship registration office on the island.

The letter states the action is a "stark violation" of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1971 on legal, administrative and sovereignty on Abu Musa.

The letter also voices the UAE's deep regret about Iran's actions which it says do not help promote the UAE-Iranian bilateral relations.

The dispute has been a sore point in relations between the UAE and Iran despite wide-ranging links. The UAE is Tehran's top trade partner and an estimated 450,000 Iranians live in the country.

"Iran's illegitimate actions on the Abu Musa Island violate the provisions of the Memorandum and are a bid by Iran to change the legal status on the Island," the letter added.

"Although the Memorandum does not give Iran sovereignty over the island or even parts of it, nor did it give Iran the right to take any security measures on it, Iran has been violating the provisions of the Memorandum ever since 1980," stressed the letter.

UAE government officials urged Tehran to promptly revoke its actions that violate the 1971 Memorandum of Understanding.

Iran, then ruled by the pro-Western shah, gained control of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa as British forces left the Gulf in 1971.

Iran took possession of Greater and Lesser Tunbs, while Abu Musa - the only inhabited island - was placed under joint administration under a deal with Sharjah, now part of the UAE.

But since then, the UAE says, the Iranians have taken control of all access to the island, installed an airport and military base there, as well as encouraged settlers to move in to change its demographic make-up.

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