WANA (Oct 23) – Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, addressed reporters today on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, responding to claims about Iran’s three islands.

 

She firmly reiterated Iran’s absolute sovereignty over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb islands, stating, “No one has the right to look covetously at any part of Iran; this is absolutely unacceptable.”

 

Mohajerani emphasized that these islands have always belonged to Iran, with historical documents to prove it.

 

She urged certain countries to stop their media provocations, dismissing the claims as nothing more than media games. “This issue has been strongly affirmed by all cabinet members,” she added.

 

Nestled in the southernmost province of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hormozgan, the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb hold a significant place in the nation’s history.

 

This province, located in the south of Iran, borders the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with coastlines stretching from the Gulf of Oman in the east to the Persian Gulf in the west.

 

Iran’s sovereignty over these islands dates back to the ancient empires of Elam, Media, Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian when Iranian governance ensured order and security throughout the Persian Gulf and its islands.

 

In 1948, these islands fell under the occupation of the British Empire, which acted as the official trustee for the Trucial States. However, throughout this time, no Iranian government recognized this occupation; Abu Musa, along with Greater and Lesser Tunb, remained an integral part of Iran’s territorial divisions.

 

In 1971, following an agreement between Iran and Britain and prior to the British military withdrawal and the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, the islands were finally returned to Iran after nearly 70 years of ongoing Iranian complaints regarding British occupation.

 

Despite their clear historical ties to Iran, the UAE periodically raises claims over these islands. Ahmad Toosirakani, head of Iran’s Registration Organization, reaffirmed that all regions of Hormozgan province, including the three islands, possess ownership documentation, solidifying Iran’s historical and legal claims.