Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 30
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham has asserted that the triple islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa are and will remain parts of Iran's territory.
She made the remarks in reaction to statements made during the 26th Gulf Cooperation Council meeting by the Arab members about the sovereignty of the three islands, IRNA news agency reported March 30.
Repeating the meddlesome remarks about Iran's sovereignty over the islands will not alter the existing historical realities, Afkham asserted.
She stated that all developments made on the islands have been carried out in accordance with the Islamic Republic's sovereignty framework.
In September, Iran said it will establish a power plant on Abu Musa Island which is the subject of dispute between Iran and the UAE.
Iran has always adopted a policy of friendship and healthy relations with all neighbor countries and avoids interfering with the affairs of other countries, Afkham stated.
Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are controlled by Iran, and claimed by both the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic.
The islands were part of the Trucial States and under British rule, but when the UAE became independent of Britain in 1971, Iran took control of the islands.
Iran has repeatedly declared that its ownership of the three islands is unquestionable.
Edited by CN