Iran’s ownership of PG islands undeniable: Tehran

ILNA: Reiterating its eternal ownership of the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, Iran has categorically dismissed recent remarks by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the islands.

“The three Iranian islands have been and will remain part of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran’s historical ownership of the islands is an undeniable fact,” Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Friday in response to claims by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“Any comments based on ignorance regarding the ongoing realities in the Middle East and Persian Gulf will not help regional convergence and the promotion of ties among countries in the region,” Afkham added.

A central plank of Iran’s foreign policy is to improve relations with its neighbors, said the spokeswoman.

“The core policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been to promote regional peace and security as well as expand all-out relations and strengthen bonds with neighboring and Muslim countries, and this fundamental policy will be pursued with seriousness,” the Iranian spokesperson pointed out.

Addressing a news conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, the UAE foreign minister rehashed unfounded claims about the sovereignty of the triple islands, and urged Iran to address what he called were issues straining ties with Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region.

The Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa have been historically part of the Iranian territory, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.
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