Iran underlines sovereignty over 3 Persian Gulf islands

ILNA: Iranian diplomatic mission to the United Nations in a letter to UNSC rotating chairman strongly refuted baseless claims made by cerrtain Arab countries about Iran’s territorial integrity.

In the letter, the Iranian mission criticized unfounded claims raised by the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about three Iranian Islands in the Persian Gulf.

Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs are integral parts of Iranian territory, underlined the Iranian representative mission to the UN in the letter.

A copy of the letter was also sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Recent visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Abu Musa Island and all measures taken there were based on the country's sovereignty over the islands, said the letter.

The Islamic Republic of Iran favors brotherly relations with its neighboring states and constructive talks held with UAE officials led to expansion of relations between the two countries and helped remove any misunderstanding about implemention of the 1971 accord, pointed out the letter.

“As the representative mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran we would like to declare that the only name recognized for waters between Iran and Saudi Peninsula and approved by the UN is the “Persian Gulf,” It said.

Use of any fabricated name for that region as mentioned in the letter of the Saudi permanent ambassador to UN is totally baseless and unacceptable and lacks any legal or political value, the letter read.

Iran’s representative mission to the UN also requested that the letter be registered as a document by the UN Security Council.

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