Iranian islands being scapegoated
By Gholamreza Mansouri
Political science researcher
On October 17, 2024, the European Union signed the joint legal political statement presented by members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council on the United Arab Emirates’ claim that the three islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs belong to Abu Dhabi and are occupied by Iran. They also demanded an end to the occupation of the Iranian territory.
Although all historical records affirm Iranian ownership of the three islands, it was the clearest and most interventionist statement ever issued by a legal union beyond the region. They clearly raised the level of intervention to the signing of a statement rather than relying on conventional political slogans.
Despite the fact that the UAE claim is not new, the timing of the tension contains a very important point. It could be seen as a sign of a new scenario against Iran. As we know, the UAE was a leading member of a political faction including Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco that tried to bring peace to Palestine through the Abraham Accords, originally presented by the Trump administration.
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