Tehran: In the last few months, Iran has taken steps towards establishing new relations with the Arab countries of the Middle East. Iran had invited the head of state of UAE to visit Tehran only last month. Due to this increasing cooperation, Iran had claimed that the influence of the United States, Europe and Israel in the Middle East would reduce. But now senior leaders of Iran are warning that instability will spread in the Persian Gulf due to the UAE. UAE has claimed three islands in the Persian Gulf. Also, Iran is indicating that this claim will cause instability in the region.

Ali Akbar Velayati, the foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, laid out his country’s role regarding the disputed islands of the Persian Gulf during an interview. Velayati said that these three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, are part of Iran’s history. Like other areas, Iran has sovereign rights over these islands. However, due to the UAE asserting its rights over these three islands, tension has arisen between the two neighbouring countries, alleged the senior Iranian leader.

‘Iran does not want to go to war with any neighbouring country. At the same time, Iran is ready to resolve the dispute peacefully without compromising its territory. However, the false claims made by the UAE regarding these islands will never prove to be true. This role of the UAE, which is asserting its rights over these three islands, will lead to instability in the Persian Gulf,’ Velayati warned.

Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme religious leader in Iran, is considered the most important person in the country. He influences the politics of Iran, and Khamenei also has control over military organizations like ‘Revolutionary Guards’. No decision is taken in Iran without his permission. In such a situation, the warning given by Khamenei’s foreign policy advisor, Velayati, to the UAE on the issue of three islands in the Persian Gulf is quite serious.

In February this year, cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia was established with the mediation of China. After this, Iran also took the initiative to increase cooperation with other Arab countries in the Middle East. In this, Iran also gave importance to UAE relations. The Iranian Foreign Minister visited the UAE in June. In such a situation, Iran’s President Raisi invited the head of state of UAE to visit Tehran last month. UAE has given a positive response to this.

After this, Iran had called for setting up an independent military organization of the Persian Gulf countries. Because of this organization, Iran claimed that the army deployment made by the US and its friendly countries in the Middle East region would be reduced. Apart from this, it was also said that Iran’s military capability would increase. But, while giving importance to improving relations with the Middle East countries, Iran has adopted the role of being completely unwilling to compromise on the disputed issues of the Persian Gulf.