Tehran, Iran, Oct. 26
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Turkey is against the idea of the United Arab Emirates taking over Iran’s three islands in the Persian Gulf, Turkish Ambassador to Tehran Reza Hakan Tekin said.
“My country has backed Iran in international arenas more than it appears,” he told ISNA news agency October 26.
“We are interested in expanding our relations with Iran in all areas, including our regional cooperation,” he said.
“Some countries smile in the face of Iran but say contrary things behind its back. We say what we want in the face.”
“During the recent Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting we diluted the anti-Iranian statement a bit, which used to have very strong statements against Iran over the triple islands,” Tekin stated.
In the last decades, there has been tension over three islands in the Persian Gulf: Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb.
UAE challenges Iran's sovereignty over three islands in the Persian Gulf, while Iran considers them as its inseparable parts.
The islands have been in Iran's control since 1971 following the departure of British forces from the Persian Gulf and few days before UAE's declaration of independence.