Iran protested Russia’s statement on disputed islands claimed by the UAE, summoning the Russian ambassador and urging a correction of their stance, while seeking to improve diplomatic relations with neighboring countries.
On Wednesday, Iran summoned the Russian ambassador in Tehran to protest a recent statement by Gulf countries and Moscow on three islands controlled by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates.
On Monday, foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council and Russia held talks. They called for “a peaceful solution” to the Greater and Lesser Tunb islands and Abu Musa issue.
They urged a resolution through “bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, following the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign ministry summoned Russia’s Ambassador, Alexey Dedov and voiced the Islamic Republic’s “objections on the content of the statement.”
It “called for a correction of the Russian Federation’s stance on this issue.”
The three strategic islands in the Gulf near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of world oil output passes, have been a source of contention between the UAE and Iran for years.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani said the islands “belong to Iran forever and issuing such statements goes against the friendly relations between Iran and its neighbors.”
The Islamic Republic has, recently, stepped up diplomatic moves to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal.
Iran agreed to restore ties with its regional rival Saudi Arabia in March under a Chinese-brokered deal. It has since been looking to mend bridges with other countries in the region, including Egypt and Morocco.
Miroslava Salazar with AFP
