WANA (Sep 10) – The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while condemning some of the provisions of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit’s statement in Riyadh as unconstructive, once again reaffirmed that the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb are an inseparable and eternal part of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

Some Iran-related points in the final statement of the 161st meeting of the GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh triggered a reaction from Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Today, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson condemned some Iran-related provisions in the statement, calling them repetitive, unconstructive, and futile.

 

In this regard, Kanaani specifically rejected the clause related to the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, stressing that the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb are an inseparable and eternal part of the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

He further stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers any comments on the settlement of these islands, the visits of civilian or military officials to them, and the holding of military drills within Iran’s territorial borders as interference in Iran’s sovereign affairs and condemns such actions.

 

In the GCC’s statement, baseless claims about the three Iranian islands were raised, stating: “We emphasize the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over the three islands, including their regional waters, airspace, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone, as an integral part of UAE territory.”

 

The Riyadh statement also condemned Iran’s military drills on the three islands, their regional waters, airspace, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone.

 

Reiterate GCC Claims on Iranian Islands and Arash Gas Field

WANA (Sep 10) – In the 161st session of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in Riyadh under the chairmanship of Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, key regional issues including Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Sudan were addressed. The council also reiterated its contentious claims regarding the three Iranian islands and the Arash […]

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The Only Logical Solution for the Arash Gas Field

Kanaani also rejected Kuwait’s unilateral claims regarding the Arash gas field in the final statement of the GCC foreign ministers, asserting that issuing repetitive statements and making unilateral claims lack legal validity and do not establish any rights for Kuwait.

 

In their meeting, the GCC foreign ministers also made claims regarding the Arash gas field, stating that “this field is entirely located in Kuwait’s maritime zone and its natural resources are shared jointly with Saudi Arabia.”

 

The senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that the only logical and productive solution concerning the Arash gas field is to return to the table for technical and legal negotiations and to engage in bilateral dialogue aimed at reaching a lasting agreement based on good neighborliness and respect for mutual interests.

 

Baseless Remarks Regarding Iran’s Nuclear Program

Kanaani also addressed the section of the statement related to Iran’s nuclear program, asserting that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always adhered to its international laws and obligations, and thus considers the baseless statements regarding its peaceful nuclear program to be of no value.

 

The foreign ministry spokesperson stressed that regional security is a unified and indivisible matter, and highlighted the importance of regional cooperation to ensure collective security. He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran, while rejecting the presence of foreign military forces in the region, will continue its effective and constructive role in ensuring the security of regional waters and waterways.

 

Avoiding Stances That Do Not Aid Regional Cooperation

Referring to the congratulatory message in the GCC statement on the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as President of Iran, the senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that the 14th government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, continuing its strategic approach and the principled policies of the system, with an emphasis on the neighborly policy as its foreign policy priority, always seeks to solve regional problems through engagement and cooperation with neighbors. He welcomed constructive initiatives in developing bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation but reminded that stances like those mentioned in the GCC statement do not help the process of regional engagement and cooperation, and should be avoided.

 

These comments in the statement come at a time when the GCC Secretary-General had recently, in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi, emphasized the importance of Iran’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region, saying that the GCC members are interested in consulting and engaging with Iran regarding major regional challenges.