“Repeating baseless claims will not affect Iran’s sovereignty and rule over its islands,” said Bahram Ghasemi, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Wednesday, in response to the final communiqué of [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
At the end of the 37th summit of the council held in Manama of Bahrain, the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf reassured their support for the claims of the UAE over the three islands of Abu Musa and the Lesser and Greater Tunbs. Formed in early 1972, the UAE has been since claiming that the three islands should be inherited by them from British occupation of the islands.
Ghasemi also described ‘unfounded’ the accusations that Iran interfered in the internal affairs of the regional countries.
“The principled policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the Persian Gulf littoral states are based on the observance of good neighborliness, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries,” articulated the Iranian diplomat, “and the same way Iran expects the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the [Persian] Gulf to refrain from bringing about worn out and baseless accusations against Iran and abandon interfering in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
He held that some certain members of the council are fueling sectarian and religious division. Ghasemi voiced deep regret that signatories of the UAE-brokered anti-Iran letter to the UN are trying to abuse the capacity of international communities and organizations for creating friction and weakening bilateral relations rather than use them for strengthening stability and establishing security in the region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, clearly, preserves its right for defending against these remarks at international communities in accordance with the legal conventions and regularities,” asserted the spokesman of the foreign ministry.
Ghasemi rejected the claims of the council that Iran was trying to politicize the rituals of Hajj and condemned Saudi’s measures in obstructing the dispatch of Iranian pilgrims in the last round of the annual event, “it is a pity that Saudi Arabia, instead of acting responsibly in the case of Mina tragedy which claimed the lives of hundreds of the pilgrims, is taking advantage of hosting the holy shrines for their political ambitions.”
He also dismissed the claims of the council recounting Iran’s interference in Bahrain. Ghasemi advised the council, to be realistic toward the facts of the Bahraini crisis including continual oppression and violation of human rights. The diplomat called the council to encourage the Bahraini government to seek political solution and national reconciliation.
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