TEHRAN – A senior Iranian lawmaker has reacted to the joint statement of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China in which the two sides called for negotiations over the three Iranian Persian Gulf islands.

The leaders of the GCC member states and China held a summit in Riyadh on December 9, 2022. After the summit, the leaders of the GCC member states and China issued a joint statement that caused a diplomatic kerfuffle in Iran as it called for a “peaceful solution” to the issue of the three islands Iran says the sovereignty over which is not up for negotiations.

“The leaders affirmed their support for all peaceful efforts, including the initiative and endeavours of the United Arab Emirates to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the three islands; Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, through bilateral negotiations in accordance with the rules of international law, and to resolve this issue in accordance with international legitimacy,” the joint statement said. 

Iranian officials reacted to this section of statement, saying that the three islands belong to Iran and that Iran’s sovereignty over them is not negotiable. 

Alireza Salimi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s presiding board, reflected this position, saying that Iran will counter any claims to the three islands.

“The three islands of the Persian Gulf have been, are, and will be Iranian. Anyone who makes territorial claims to them will be met with a decisive response from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Salimi said in remarks to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. 

He added, “I warn the officials and the president of China not to be fooled by the glitzy pictures of Persian Gulf countries.”

The senior lawmaker criticized the joint statement, saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping proved naïve during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

“The Chinese president showed in this trip that he is naiver than what was imagined,” he said, calling on China to abide by Article 2 of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization charter. “The Chinese government should adhere to the Shanghai Treaty; the territorial integrity of Iran is mentioned in clause two of the Shanghai Treaty. I wish the President of China would consult with his advisors and find out what is included in the statute of the Shanghai Treaty,” he continued. 

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had reacted to the uproar over the three islands. He described the three islands as inseparable and eternal parts of Iran, stressing that Tehran will by no means compromise on its territorial integrity.

“The islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf are inseparable parts of the pure land of Iran and belong to this motherland forever,” he said on Twitter. 

He emphasized that Iran would never compromise with any country on the importance of respecting the Islamic Republic's territorial integrity, Press TV reported.

Tensions have escalated between Iran and the GCC over a range of issues mentioned in recent GCC statements. 

Spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanaani has condemned the baseless allegations in the final communiqué issued at the 43rd session of the Supreme Council of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Iranian foreign ministry said.

He said such statements are a mere repetition of the abortive policy of Iranophobia, which can only be a fruitless attempt to cover up the crisis-making schemes of some of the council’s member states in providing financial, political and logistical support to terror groups and the deep wound inflicted on the people of the crisis-stricken countries in the region.

Kanaani recalled the heavy human and financial costs imposed on the regional people by the destructive policies of some of the council’s members, urging the body to reconsider their approaches toward regional issues and adopt a constructive path instead.

The spokesman rejected the council’s reference to issues related to Iran’s nuclear program, adding, “The countries who had left no stone unturned to foil the nuclear agreement are today protesting Iran’s legitimate actions by turning a blind eye to its full commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and international regulations.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes endogenous security in the region and adherence to international norms, and it tolerates no interference in its policies and technological and defense programs, he said.

The spokesman reaffirmed Iran’s principled positions and said the three Iranian islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa are an inseparable and eternal part of the land of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers any claim to these islands as a destabilizing factor and interference in its internal affairs and its territory, and strongly condemns it,” he said.

He highlighted the dominance and ability of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces in safeguarding the security of shipping in the Persian Gulf as well as their alertness to any maritime mischief and insecurity, adding that such statements and positions will not affect the determination of the Iranian Armed Forces to provide security to the country and the region.