Iran Refutes Baseless Claims at PGCC-UK Joint Statement
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected claims made in a joint PGCC-UK statement that questioned Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands, describing the islands an inseparable part of Iran and stressing that such baseless statements cannot change historical facts.
The foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council member states and UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Yvette Cooper, met in New York on September 24 to discuss the regional and global issues. In a joint statement at the conclusion of the meeting, they questioned Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands by expressing support for the United Arab Emirates’ call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice.
In response, Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei issued a statement on Sunday, emphasizing that Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa are an integral and inseparable part of Iran’s territory and will remain so.
He stressed that repeated political statements questioning Iran’s sovereignty cannot alter the islands’ geographic, historical, or legal reality.
Rejecting the interfering phrases of the PGCC-UK statement, the spokesperson underscored that Iran will take all necessary measures to exercise its sovereign rights, ensure the safety and security of these islands, and protect national interests within their vicinity.
Baqaei further urged the PGCC to focus on regional cooperation aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and trust among the Persian Gulf countries, instead of repeating unfounded claims or enabling interference from external actors such as the UK, whose regional policies he described as inherently destabilizing.
