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Iran compared to Israel over island occupation
Gulf Arab countries have denounced Iran's installation of offices on a disputed island in the strategic Gulf waterway and compared its presence there to Israel's occupation of Arab land.
"It is not permissible for states to occupy the territories of others as is known in the case of the dispute between the Arabs and the Israelis," the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah, secretary-general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as saying.
Abu Musa and the Lesser and Greater Tunbs, located near key shipping lanes in the Gulf, are controlled by non-Arab Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates with broad Arab support.
The UAE summoned Iran's charge d'affaires last week to protest against Iran's establishment of maritime offices on one of the islands and said the move should be reversed.
In May, the UAE protested against Iran's dismissal of the three-decade-old territorial dispute as a misunderstanding and said Iran was occupying its islands in the strategic Gulf. A UAE source compared Iran's actions at the time to the Israeli occupation of Arab lands.
An Arab League summit in March pledged support for the UAE, calling for a peaceful resolution to the dispute in the Gulf, a crucial outlet for world crude oil supply, which it said would help improve relations between the Arab world and Iran.
Despite the territorial dispute, the two Gulf neighbours have strong trade ties and officials exchange visits. (Reuters)
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Posted by schahin, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 24 August 2008 at 00:12 UAE time
I am an iranian living in Dubai. With all respect to Emiratis for their hospitality, I would like to remind you that your country is only 37 years old. The locals in Abu-Musa call their Island, "Gap Sabzoo" which means the green great place in farsi. The islands belong to iran since ancient time.
Even if you go to the museum of Dubai, you will see a huge very old map of the region with the name " Sinvs Persicus" for the persian gulf!!! Lots of Locals in Dubai are originally iranian, and this is not a secret.
Posted by Ali, Los Angeles, USA on 22 August 2008 at 09:57 UAE time
UAE came into existence in 1971. Long before there was a UAE, there was an Iran with thousands of years of history. Long before there were Arabs in UAE, there were Indian settlements there. Long before there was an Arab resident on any of the islands in the Persian Gulf, including the 3 mentioned here, the Persian empire had a presence, had fortifications, and has historical artifacts to prove it. These islands are located in a gulf named after Persia within miles of the shores of Iran. To liken this with the Israeli take over of the Palestinian land is offensive because Palestinians had a very strong presence there, and were dislocated violently by millions of immigrants from the rest of the world through wars. It dilutes the plight of the Palestinians, and it offends a neighboring country who does not make any claims over UAE proper. To change the name of the Persian Gulf to "Arabian Gulf" and to claim the islands of another country who preceded the 37 year old UAE by thousands of years is offensive to all Iranians and will create a bad precedence for all future dealings. It is best to promote brotherly relations rather than violate one of the ten commandments honored by all 3 major religions: thou shall not covet thy neighbor's"
Posted by agha, Paris, France on 22 August 2008 at 09:29 UAE time
The 3 islands belongs to IRAN. UAE is acting like Iraq at the end of 80s. You know well the result ! Have we to repeat the history ???