November 30 designated as nat’l day for Persian Gulf trio islands
The Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution (SCCR) of Iran on Friday officially declared November 30 as the national day commemorating the trio of islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, in the Persian Gulf.
SCCR official Gholamreza Basirnia said the decision was taken because November 30 marks the anniversary of Iranian Navy forces re-taking the three islands from British forces in 1971, IRNA reported. He described the date as a “symbol of regained sovereignty” for Iran in the Persian Gulf, Tasnim News Agency reported.
In the same meeting, the council named November 12 as “National Aerospace Day” in tribute to the late Hassan Tehrani Moghadam and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, two senior figures in Iran’s missile and aerospace sector.
The islands, located near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, have been under Iranian control since Iranian naval forces moved in on November 30, 1971, just prior to the formal founding of the United Arab Emirates.
Basirnia said the move to register November 30 in the national calendar follows “persistent efforts” by the Iranian Navy’s legal office to compile historical evidence of Iran’s sovereignty and to restore tombstones of the islands’ defenders.
The islands have been an integral part of Iran for many centuries, supported by numerous legal, historical, and geographical records both within Iran and internationally. However, the UAE has challenged Iran's sovereignty over the islands in recent decades, while Iran emphasizes they are an inseparable part of its territory and has urged the Arab country to avoid actions that could harm bilateral relations.
The origins of the issue trace back to the early 20th century, during the decline of Iran under the Qajar dynasty and the growing influence of British imperialism in the Persian Gulf. Britain took control of Abu Musa in 1904 and the two Tunbs in 1921, delegating local governance to British-appointed sheikhs of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah for the next fifty years. Iran and the UK repeatedly debated the islands’ status, but without tangible outcomes.
Iran's sovereignty over the islands was lawfully reinstated on November 30, 1971, shortly after the British withdrawal and just two days prior to the official formation of the UAE federation.