TEHRAN – The Foreign Ministry has dismissed a Persian Gulf Cooperation Council statement about three Iranian islands as invalid.

“This statement is invalid. Islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa belong to Iran forever,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Wednesday.
In a communiqué issued at the end of their 31st summit on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the PGCC leaders once again claimed that the three Iranian islands “are an integral part of the United Arab Emirates.”
“Such remarks and statements have no effect on Iran’s sovereignty over these islands and repeating these baseless claims will not contribute to the regional stability and peace,” Mehmanparast insisted.
He also said Iran is still ready to hold “constructive” and “positive” talks with the UAE government with the aim of enhancing ties.
On December 7, Majlis Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh had announced that a number of lawmakers are drafting a plan which envisages a reassessment of ties with the United Arab Emirates.
“The fact is that Majlis representatives are serious to limit ties with the emirates,” Falahatpisheh said.
He said a number of reasons such as mistreatment of Iranian tourists in the UAE and the Emirati officials’ stances against Iran compelled the lawmakers to decide to consider a reduction of relations with the UAE.