TEHRAN – MP Hossein Naqavi-Hosseini of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has commented that the Islamic Republic should revise its ties with the United Arab Emirates due to remarks made by the Arab country’s officials about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to the Iranian island of Abu Musa.   

 

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said on Wednesday that Ahmadinejad’s visit “is a flagrant violation of the United Arab Emirates’ sovereignty over its territory and a transgression of efforts to find a peaceful settlement to end (what he called) Iranian occupation of the three UAE islands.”   

 

In protest at Ahmadinejad’s visit, the UAE also recalled its ambassador to Tehran for consultations and cancelled a friendly match with Iran’s national soccer team which was due to be held on Tuesday in the Persian Gulf Arab state. 

 

The UAE has repeatedly questioned Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs and urged Tehran to agree to take the dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague or engage in direct negotiations. 

 

Iran says its sovereignty over the islands is not negotiable but has called for talks with the UAE to clear up misunderstandings.   

 

Naqavi-Hosseini said, “According to historical documents and international conventions, the three islands are part of Iran, and each one is like other provinces and cities of our country, so the officials’ visits to these islands are like their visits to other provinces.” 

 

He also said, “We do commercial activities there (Abu Musa) and frequently travel to this island, so UAE officials’ remarks are ridiculous.” 

 

In addition, the lawmaker called on administration officials to properly respond to UAE officials’ remarks and summon the UAE charge d'affaires in Tehran to the Foreign Ministry to convey Iran’s protest.