Iran criticises Arab League support for UAE claim on Persian Gulf islands

Iran’s foreign ministry has criticized the Arab League’s support for the United Arab Emirates’ claim to three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, calling the position a breach of international law.

“The three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa are an inseparable part of the territory of Iran,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a statement on Monday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers any claim in this regard to be contrary to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law—namely, respect for the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries, as well as the principle of good neighbourliness.”

His remarks came in response to the Baghdad Declaration issued at the conclusion of the 34th Arab League Summit, a gathering of Arab heads of state held Saturday in Iraq’s capital.

The statement repeated the Arab League's support, first announced last year, for the UAE’s sovereignty over the three islands administered by Iran since 1971.

The three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, as supported by historical and geographical documents.

However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the territory, describing the situation as “the continued occupation by the Islamic Republic of Iran", and an issue which has now become a sticking point in the relationship between the two countries.

The Arab League called on Iran to resolve the dispute either through direct negotiations or by referring the matter to the International Court of Justice.

Baghaei said raising the issue in the final communiqué of the Arab League summit was unacceptable and urged the organisation to “refrain from addressing baseless claims.”