TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baqaei has categorically condemned groundless claims about the three Iranian Persian Gulf islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Bu Musa inserted a statement issued at the close of a trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Baqaei expressed regret over the UAE’s insistence on taking advantage of the presence of whatever diplomatic delegation in the country to rehash its territorial claims against Iran, denouncing the UAE’s repetition of its baseless claim of ownership over the three Iranian islands.

He said the three islands are in integral part of the Iranian territory, and any territorial claims against them blatantly violates the principle of respect for the territorial integrity of other countries and good neighbor policy.

Iran has, on numerous occasions, condemned the UAE’s unfounded claim of ownership over the three islands.

Recently, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf urged Iran’s neighboring countries “not to put to the test” the Iranian nation’s determination to safeguard its territorial integrity as well as the three Persian Gulf islands which are “an integral part of Iran.”

The top Parliamentarian categorically condemned the UAE’s baseless claim of ownership of the three Iranian islands rehashed in a statement issued by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC).

“These unfounded and ludicrous claims generally made as a result of provocation by other countries run counter to the principle of respecting countries’ territorial integrity and good neighborliness,” he said.

In its latest statement, the PGCC rehashed the UAE’s groundless claim of ownership over the three Iranian islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.

The Persian Gulf islands of Bu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

The islands fell under British control in 1921, but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran’s sovereignty over the islands was restored.