Tehran to Moscow: Iran serious about its territorial integrity
‘Parliament strongly rejects GCC-Russia statement on Iran’s isles’
Iranian Parliament speaker reacted to a recent joint statement by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Russia on Iran’s three islands in the Persian Gulf, saying that Iran is serious about its territorial integrity and will not compromise on it.
“Our Russian neighbor should know that the path of cooperation goes through respecting the red lines of the Iranian people including the territorial integrity and continuation of Iran’s sovereignty over the three islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb,” Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said.
He said Iran’s Parliament “strongly rejects” the GCC-Russia joint statement, emphasizing that Iran is very serious about its territorial integrity, which has been preserved with the blood of hundreds of thousands of its youths.
“Russia, which is itself a victim of the geopolitical expansionism of the West and NATO and is fighting against it, should not assist the West with its geopolitical scheme to destabilize the Persian Gulf,” he said.
“As the sole guarantor of stability in the Persian Gulf, Iran is neutralizing the West’s dangerous plots in this critical region.”
Qalibaf also noted that regional stability and economic development are possible only through honoring the principles of good neighborliness and respecting Iran’s territorial integrity.
“Authentic historical documents prove that these islands belong to Iran and that political statements cannot distort historical facts… Iran’s authority over these islands is the guarantor of the Persian Gulf stability in the face of the US hegemony.”
The Iranian nation, he said, expects Moscow to demonstrate its economic and strategic partnership with Tehran in its political and media positions to enhance mutual trust.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s Ambassador to Tehran, Alexey Dedov, and voiced the Islamic Republic’s objection to the joint statement.
The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed that the three islands are an integral part of Iran and called on Russia to revise its stance vis-à-vis the issue.
The three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.
However, the United Arab Emirates 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.