Iran should give up control of all three UAE islands

New York/Abu Dhabi: ‘Iran, which has been occupying three islands of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for more than five decades, should give up its control.’ Historically and according to international norms, the UAE has sovereign rights over all three islands. Therefore, UAE demanded to the United Nations that Iran should hand over these islands to the UAE. The UAE complained that Iran was not taking the initiative to resolve the dispute over the islands through talks despite the UAE’s appeal.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Deputy Minister of International Cooperation at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioned the islands of ‘Greater Tamb’, ‘Lesser Tamb’ and ‘Abu Musa’ in the Persian Gulf. Hashemi reminded that the UAE had legal authority over all three islands until 1971. On November 28, 1971, the UAE became independent from British colonialists. Two days later, on November 30, the British colonialists withdrew from all three islands. Therefore, these islands are considered the legal right of the UAE. The UAE claims that historical documents also link these three islands to its culture.

Therefore, the UAE has sovereign rights over all these three islands, Hashemi said. Hashemi said in his speech at the United Nations that the UAE would not back down to prove its claim to these islands through direct negotiations or international courts. The UAE has been earnestly trying to start peaceful negotiations for the past five decades. But Hashemi pointed out that there is no response from Iran.

At the same time, in his speech at the United Nations, Hashemi also mentioned the attacks on the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hashemi pointed out that the security in the region was threatened given these attacks on the UAE and Saudi capitals and fuel projects by the Houthi rebels a few months ago. Hashemi targeted Iran, which supports the Houthis. He said that there is a need to raise voice against the terrorism of Houthis, like other terrorist organizations and other countries should not discriminate in this matter.