NEW YORK (AP) — The United Arab Emirates requested Iran on Saturday to restore the three islands it has illegally occupied for the past five decades to the Gulf state.
Reem Al Hashimy, UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, claimed Iran’s possession of the three islands was a violation of her country’s sovereignty in a speech before the General Debate of the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
“We reaffirm our call for an end to Iran’s occupation of the three UAE islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, over which the UAE has historical and legal authority,” Hashimy added.
Iran took control of the three islands in November 1971, shortly after British forces withdrew. All of the islands are located in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
“Despite the UAE’s sincere calls for a peaceful resolution to this conflict over the last five decades, Iran has not responded. We will never desist in asserting our rightful claim to these islands, whether via direct negotiations or through the International Court of Justice “Hashimy explained.
The UAE’s demand comes amid a wave of violence in Iran sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman in police custody.
On the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sunday, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
During the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed urged for greater international cooperation to achieve regional security and peace, as well as people’s aspirations, according to an Emirates News Agency release (WAM).
Both officials addressed bilateral relations and strategies to strengthen bilateral cooperation to accomplish mutual goals. They also discussed regional and international trends, as well as many subjects on the General Assembly’s agenda.
Source: Arab News
