The Iranian foreign ministry deplored as "baseless" the claims raised about the country's regional role in a recent meeting of the Arab ministerial quartet committee.
The Arab ministerial quartet committee, comprised of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, issued an anti-Iran statement after its 12th meeting in Cairo on Tuesday.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi rejected the “groundless” claims, saying that “the futile attempt” targeting the Islamic Republic was in line with “the same old political mistakes”.
He also expressed regret that some Persian Gulf states welcome “out of weakness” the “undocumented” claims by outsiders about maritime security in this region instead of relying on their own power.
The wrong path taken by some Arab states will only fuel the problems in the region at a time when it needs rationality and realism, Mousavi said.
He noted that certain Arab countries, which have failed in their regional polices, are incapable of understanding the realties in the region and the entire world.
Mousavi also reiterated Iran’s sovereignty on the three islands of Bu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, located in the Persian Gulf.
Iran has repeatedly rejected claims by the United Arab Emirates about the three Iranian islands, saying that they are “inseparable” part of Iran.
International documents clearly show that the three islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa which were historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control in 1903. The islands were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE was born.
Iran has repeatedly declared that its ownership of the three islands is unquestionable.
Under international law, no state can defy any agreement, which came into being before its establishment.
Yet, the UAE continues to make territorial claims against the Islamic Republic despite historical evidence and international regulations.
Fars News Agency
