The legal adviser to Iran’s president said today that Iran will not negotiate over three Gulf islands disputed with the United Arab Emirates, following Tehran’s summoning of the Russian ambassador over a statement about the islands.
The islands, Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb, are claimed by the UAE and Tehran, but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, now allied with Washington.
Few days ago, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a joint statement in which foreign ministers expressed their support for a UAE initiative to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the islands through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has however condemned the Russia-GCC statement as contrary to friendly relations between Iran and its neighbours, adding that the three islands belong to Iran forever.
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