Iran Press/Iran News: The Persian Gulf is a water area of more than 237,000 square kilometers along the Sea of Oman, between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. This gulf is an important waterway and is the third-largest bay globally after the Gulf of Mexico and the Hudson's Bay, an important and strategic region at the international level due to its oil and gas resources.
In reaction to the final statement of the 153rd meeting of the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Friday that the three islands are eternal and inseparable parts of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Kanaani emphasized that the destructive and seditious policies of the United States and the Zionist regime, as well as miscalculations of certain regional states that paved the way for foreign forces to meddle in the security equations of the region, are the most important sources of instability in West Asia, expressing regret that certain member states of the council refuse to take responsibility and reform the failed and incompetent policies; and instead, they try to insist on repetitive and tedious statements as well as resort to blame game.
The FM spokesman also said that the Islamic Republic has always underlined that it believes in regional cooperation without foreigners’ presence as the best way to resolve problems, enhance relationships among neighboring states, and guarantee common security and stability.
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As to the return of Kuwaiti and the UAE ambassadors to Iran and the continuation of talks with Saudi Arabia to restore ties, he mentioned that Tehran underscores the need for cooperation by all regional states to improve security, stability, and peace in the Persian Gulf region.
Urging certain regional countries to change their paradoxical behaviors, Kanaani noted that the Islamic Republic calls for interaction and collaboration as the best strategy to resolve issues and that Tehran embraces positive and constructive initiatives.
Historical Documents
A look at history indicates that the sovereignty of Iran over these islands have been recorded in many books, historical documents, almanacs, maritime journals, geographical maps, official documents, administrative reports, the officials notes of the British authorities in India and so on.
Home to many small islands, the Persian Gulf is one of the geographical regions that has been interwoven with the millennia-old history and civilization of Iran. It has been years that some attempts to change the name of the gulf have taken place.
Geographically the biggest island in the Persian Gulf is Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. Other significant islands include Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Kish administered by Iran.
In 1903, the three islands of which were historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control and then were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE came to existence.
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In 550 BC, the Achaemenid Empire established the first Persian Empire in Pars in the southwestern region of the Iranian plateau. Consequently in the Greek sources, the body of water that bordered this province came to be known as the Persian Gulf.
Considering the historical background of the name Persian Gulf, Sir Arnold Wilson mentions in a book, published in 1928 that: “No water channel has been so significant as Persian Gulf to the geologists, archaeologists, geographers, merchants, politicians, excursionists, and scholars whether in past or in present. This water channel which separates the Iran Plateau from the Arabian Plate, has enjoyed an Iranian identity since at least 2200 years ago”.
Importance of the Three Islands
Located in a strategic zone near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, controlling these islands would enable one to dominate the sea-lanes entering and exiting the Persian Gulf, and hence it is understandable why Abu Dhabi are repeating its imaginary claim time after time.
Pointing to the current regional crisis, Arab League should conduct wisely instead of fanning the flames of regional disagreement between Iran and UAE over the disputed islands.
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