Iran to decide status of UAE expatriates on Abu Musa island

Settlement of new Emirati nationals on Iran's Southern island of Abu Musa means a violation of Iran's sovereignty, a senior lawmaker cautioned, and announced that Tehran will soon make a decision on the fate of such Emirati newcomers. Speaking to ICANA news agency on Wednesday, member of the parliament's Presiding Board Mohammad Ashouri Taziani criticized the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its attempts to distort Iran's sovereignty over Abu Musa by recruiting and settling more UAE on the Iranian Island. "Presence of new people with UAE nationality on Abu Musa island is a violation of Iran's sovereignty," Ashouri Taziani underscored. He said the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf are indispensible parts of Iran, and pointed out presence of such Emirati newcomers on the island signifies Iran' tolerance and kindness, but it should not be perceived as Iran's ignorance or compromise over its sovereignty. "Definitely, a decision will be made on the status of UAE expatriates in Abu Musa island in future," the Iranian lawmaker said, and underscored that the Iranian island will not accept arrival of any more Arab newcomers from now on. 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.