Iran’s Foreign Ministry has fully rejected the repeated and legally baseless claims made by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) regarding Iran’s three islands—Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb—citing the 165th foreign ministers’ meeting statement. The ministry emphasized Iran’s undisputed sovereignty over the three islands, describing the PGCC claims as incapable of altering historical, geographical, and legal realities.
The statement highlighted that Iran will continue all necessary measures to ensure security and safeguard national interests in the islands.
Regarding the Arash gas field, Iran dismissed unilateral claims as invalid, stating that repeated statements do not confer any legal rights to Kuwait. Achieving a fair and lasting agreement requires bilateral dialogue, joint effort, and a constructive environment, it added.
On nuclear issues, the ministry stressed that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program is fully legitimate under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and that any doubts raised are unfounded.
The ministry emphasized that Iran has consistently acted in good faith in negotiations, while the United States and some European countries have violated commitments and disrupted diplomatic processes.
The statement also drew attention to the real and immediate threat posed by Israel’s weapons of mass destruction, urging regional cooperation to compel the international community to take effective measures against Israel.
Iran also reaffirmed its commitment to regional security and stability through cooperation with all countries, while rejecting interventions by external destabilizing actors.
Welcoming the PGCC’s condemnation of Israeli crimes in Gaza, Iran emphasized the need for immediate and effective measures, including the suspension of political and diplomatic ties with Israel, to compel the regime to halt its actions against the Palestinian people.
The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC), in a joint statement issued after a meeting with Japan’s foreign minister in Kuwait, once again repeated its unfounded claims over Iran’s three islands and the Arash gas field.
The PGCC reiterated its long-standing and baseless allegations against Iran, claiming that the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb belong to the United Arab Emirates.
The statement also alleged that the Arash gas field lies within the maritime boundaries of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and called on Iran to hold talks on the issue.
These claims come despite Iran’s repeated emphasis on its historical and legal ownership of the three islands as an inseparable part of its territory, as well as its legitimate rights over the Arash gas field.
The PGCC further urged the expansion of Iran’s nuclear negotiations, asserting that the talks should include all security matters and the concerns of the Council’s member states.
The three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. The UAE, however, has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.
The islands fell under British control in 1921, but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran’s sovereignty over the islands was restored.
MNA