Iran rejects UAE's claims to 3 disputed islands

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Iran has once again rejected UAE's claims to three "Iranian" islands, according to a report on Thursday by an Iranian news network.

"The baseless claims made by the GCC in Riyadh over the Iranian islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa is a clear interference in Iran's internal affairs," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told Press TV, an English-language Iranian news network.

"The three islands remain an indisputable part of the Iranian territory. We have repeatedly said that the slight misunderstanding between Iran and the UAE over Abu Musa is resolvable and the interference of other parties will never help solve the problem," he added.

In May 2009, the UAE made calls for Iran to start talks over the three disputed islands.

"The UAE seeks to settle the issue of the occupied Islands, but regrettably three decades had lapsed and nothing positive over the issue so far," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammad Gargash told the WAM news agency at the time.

Iran gained control of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa islands in 1971, as Britain granted independence to its Gulf protectorates and withdrew its forces.

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

The UAE has the full backing of fellow GCC states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in its claim to the islands, near the Strait of Hormuz, through which an estimated 40 percent of the world's crude oil passes.

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Posted by: Satwariu

So Iran is using it's weary attitude towards the GCC as a body in order to delay any resolution on the matter. They say let us talk to the UAE only, and let others not interfere. But 30 years?

Posted by: Mounir

287 words 1321 characters 0 content. keep it up, Arabishe! And i fail to see when i called myself a "canadian". I am canadian by passport, Arab in identity. Do you have a problem with that? keep rolling on the floor, thats about the only thing you're capable of doing ;) Ps: when was there ever something useful posted on AB Forums?

Posted by: arabishe

Appreciate your kind words. You are right, it did come off wrong as a re-read it. What I meant to say is that unfortunately for our non-arabic readers the book is in arabic, and also I could not remember the name of it because I read the book several years back when I was much younger. Hope this clarifies. Cheers.

Posted by: Observer

I've been following this thread, and i admire your depth of details about Persia, arabishe. But how can you claim to be an arab when you said earlier you unfortunately couldn't remember the title of a book because it is in arabic? " ...I was fortunate to read a book a while back by the Dr.Sultan Al Qassimi, the ruler of Sharjah and a historian in his own right on this subject. Unfortunately this book was in arabic, and I could not remember the name of it. If I do, I will be sure to post it."

Posted by: arabishe

Oh my dear, nobody is getting agitated; on the contrary, it is very amusing that a 'rabblerouser' is all that you are and I am glad you've admitted it. I still don't know why AB allows you to post with this current admission...actually maybe it's for entertainment sake. Also the board is meaningless to 'rabblerousers', not to everyone else. People learn something new every day on these boards, and are entertained by some comical posts (you all know which ones and by whom). I have never said I "love to hate Arabs", I am an Arab. Your assumptions once again get the better of you. I'm not pro Persian either, just pro knowledge & truth to shed light on your dim-witted comments that need to be corrected time and time again. Had you not commented, there would be no need for me to waste mine, and everyone else's time showing you how wrong you always are (in all honesty I get a kick out of it and I know lots of others do too). I would also love to see this "list" of yours or is that just the bark being louder than the bite? I bet my house mine is bigger than yours (by the way, I've got a bigger house too). What exactly has 37 years brought? Money. That's it. Money used to buy what you see today. Money being used to buy the islands and the naming rights as well. That's all my dear boy. Go down in history as great (or not so great) purchasers. On a final note, I find it funny (really I do) that a Canadian named Mounir can say that American-Iranians are not Iranian. Seriously...I'm rolling on the floor.

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