TEHRAN – In a Friday telephone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Iran asserted its territorial integrity, designating the Iranian trio islands as an inseparable part of the nation's sovereign territory.

The phone call, which took place on Friday afternoon, touched upon key issues addressed at the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum in Morocco on the three Iranian islands. Amir Abdollahian emphasized the rejection of any claims made by external parties regarding this matter. 

The top Iranian diplomat addressed the trio islands as an integral part of Iran's territorial integrity, stating, “Concerning Iran's territorial integrity and governance matters, we hold no formalities with any party.”

Amir Abdollahian acknowledged the positive and growing relations between Iran and Russia, highlighting that respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries is a fundamental principle in international relations. 

The discussion also delved into regional developments, including the South Caucasus. 

The head of Iran’s diplomatic apparatus continued the discussion by offering a positive evaluation of the negotiation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia towards reaching a peace agreement. He pointed out the adverse consequences of foreign interventions in the region and stressed the necessity for regional countries to utilize their capacities in ensuring peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Russian Foreign Minister, on his part, echoed the importance of Iran's constructive role in promoting peace in the South Caucasus. He considered the relations between Moscow and Tehran as strategic and emphasized, “Russia has consistently respected Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity—a policy that should never be questioned.”

Lavrov added that during the negotiations for the final statement of the meeting in Morocco, they explicitly focused on respecting Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Throughout history, the three islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf have consistently been acknowledged as integral parts of Iran. This assertion finds backing in numerous historical, legal, and geographical documents, both within the country and worldwide.

Despite the substantial evidence supporting Iran's historical claim, the United Arab Emirates has consistently challenged the Iranian sovereignty over these islands.

The islands came under British control in 1921. However, on November 30, 1971, shortly after British forces withdrew from the region and just two days before the formal establishment of the UAE federation, Iran reclaimed sovereignty over the islands.

MAS