Iran (IMNA) - The occasion will be observed annually on the 9th day of Azar, the ninth month of the Iranian solar calendar, which generally falls on November 30 or December 1 in the Gregorian calendar.
The three Iranian islands— Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb —are located in the Persian Gulf, between mainland Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
These islands have long been an integral part of Iran, as confirmed by extensive legal, historical, and geographical evidence recognized both domestically and internationally.
However, in recent decades, the UAE has challenged Iran’s sovereignty over the islands.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has consistently rejected such baseless claims, including those made in a joint statement by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and Britain, asserting that these remarks cannot alter the historical and legal facts.
Tehran has reaffirmed that the three islands are an inseparable part of Iranian territory and urged the UAE to refrain from positions that could harm bilateral relations.
The dispute’s roots go back to the early 20th century, during the decline of the Qajar dynasty and the rise of British imperial influence in the Persian Gulf. In that period, Britain established control—first over Abu Musa in 1904, and later over the Tunb islands in 1921.
For about five decades, the British government delegated local administration of the islands to the rulers of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah, both under its protection.
Iran and Britain engaged in numerous negotiations over the islands’ status, but no concrete resolution was reached.
Finally, on November 30, 1971, just two days before the founding of the UAE, and following the British military withdrawal from the region, Iran’s sovereignty over the three islands was lawfully restored.
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