Disputed island near Hormuz
Iran rejects UAE position on disputed Hormuz islands
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Tehran reiterates sovereignty over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb is "non-negotiable".
- Dispute dates back to 1971, when Iranian forces took the islands as Britain withdrew from the region.
- UAE says the islands were seized unlawfully and has called for negotiations or a resolution via the ICJ.
Iran on Tuesday rejected claims made by the United Arab Emirates at the United Nations General Assembly over three islands in the Gulf, with a senior Iranian diplomat saying Abu Dhabi's repeated assertions do not change the "reality" of Tehran's sovereignty over the territory.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said on social media platform X that Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb remain "inseparable parts of Iran's territory," despite claims raised from the UN rostrum.
"Emirati officials should, instead of repeating unfounded claims, adhere to the requirements of good neighbourliness and the historical and legal realities of the region," Gharibabadi wrote.
The three islands, which sit near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil shipments, have been under Iranian control since 1971, when Iranian forces took the islands shortly before Britain's withdrawal from the region and the UAE's formal establishment as a federation.
تکرار ادعاهای بیاساس درباره جزایر ایرانی، حتی از تریبون مجمع عمومی، واقعیت را تغییر نمیدهد.
— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) September 29, 2026
ابوموسی، تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک، بخش جداییناپذیر از قلمرو ایراناند.
مقامات اماراتی باید به جای تکرار ادعاهای واهی، به الزامات حسن همجواری و واقعیت های تاریخی و حقوقی منطقه پایبند باشند.
The UAE has long disputed Iran's hold over the territory, arguing the islands were seized unlawfully, and has repeatedly called for direct negotiations or a resolution through the International Court of Justice.
Tehran has consistently declined both options, maintaining the islands are an integral part of Iranian territory not subject to international arbitration.
The exchange is the latest in a decades-long standoff between the two Gulf neighbors that has periodically flared at UN forums and regional summits without resolution.
Read more: Iran asserts full control over Strait of Hormuz as Trump rejects truce deal
