Chaired by the Morrocan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum statement was held on Wednesday in Morroco. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also present in this meeting along with the foreign ministers of several Arab countries. In the final statement of the meeting, the Iranian trio islands (Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb) were also mentioned and it was claimed that peaceful solutions and initiatives aimed at solving the so-called conflict between Iran and the UAE are supported through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, based on international laws and the United Nations Charter. The important question is why Russia has once again supported the UAE's claim on the trio islands.
Definite identity of trio islands Iranian
The historical documents indicate that the identity trio islands are completely Iranian. Abu Musa is an inhabited island with an area of about 12 square kilometers. The area of Greater Tunb is 11 square kilometers and Lesser Tunb is 2 square kilometers. There are many historical and cultural documents about the belonging of the trio islands to Iran. Culturally, the word Tunb is a Persian word from the local dialects of southern Iran. The reason for the name is that when the local sailors approached these islands, they saw them in the form of a hill in the middle of the water, and for that reason, they gave the title of Tunb to both islands.
The root of the UAE's claim on the Iranian islands is the action of the British in the early 20th century. In 1903, the British government occupied the islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb and in 1908 also occupied the Lesser Tunb. Although after the occupation of these islands, the Iranian government protested it many times, finally in November 1971, Iran's sovereignty over the islands was restored absolutely and effectively without any conditions, and Britain accepted this sovereignty. Iran's sovereignty over the three islands is mentioned in several historical documents. Besides, in the British Admiralty chart in 1863, the British Navy map in 1881, and the Iran map prepared by the British War Department in 1886, these islands are considered part of Iran.
UAE's claims and Russia's recent positions
In recent years, the UAE has repeatedly made territorial claims about the three Iranian islands. The foreign ministers of Arab countries and Russia, in the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum statement, demanded that the issue of the three islands of the Persian Gulf be raised in the International Court of Justice. The statement includes that the parties welcome peaceful solutions and initiatives to resolve the dispute over the ownership of the three islands. The important thing is that when Iran took these islands back from England, there was no country called UAE in the world geography, and it was established two years after these islands regained their independence from British colonialism. Despite this, Russia's position in accompanying the UAE's claims has been severely criticized by Iranian public opinion, and they consider it to be contrary to the progress of Tehran-Moscow bilateral relations.
Several months ago, in a joint statement of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, Russia had supported the peaceful efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the issue of the trio islands through bilateral negotiations.
Three views about reasons why Russia accompanies UAE
First; Russians, especially after the war in Ukraine, have faced economic pressures on the one hand, and on the other hand, the American and European strategy to isolate Moscow. Therefore, on the one hand, Russia is taking steps to increase economic relations with Arab countries, which are among capitalist countries, and on the other hand, it is trying to prove, by attending joint meetings with Arab countries, that the strategy of America and Europe to isolate Russia It has failed. Anna Borshchevskaya, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Russia's policy toward the Middle East, says that the Middle East is considered a vital economic artery for Russia after the Ukraine war. It is the Middle East that has caused the Russian economy to suffer less after the Western sanctions.
Second; Most Arab countries have close relations with the US. Meanwhile, Arab countries, especially in the last three years, tried to balance their foreign policy and strengthen their relations with powers such as China and Russia. Therefore, Moscow, understanding this approach of Arab countries, is trying to strengthen relations with these countries. Therefore, Moscow, understanding this approach of Arab countries, is trying to strengthen relations with these countries.
Third; Some believe that Russia is sure about its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since the West has no place in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kremlin officials have joined Arab countries in anti-Iranian policies without worrying about Iran's reactions.
Necessity of Iran's serious action regarding Russia's position
The fact is that Russia's position in aligning with the UAE regarding the three Iranian islands is crossing the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, despite the verbal criticisms made by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran against this position of Russia, the Iranian government has not taken any practical action in this regard. There is no doubt that there are ill-wishers inside and outside both countries who aim to disrupt the relations between Iran and Russia, but Iran should not be the one who should solely be worried about this issue. Russia should also be seriously concerned about efforts to disrupt the Moscow-Tehran relations, something that is not currently seen in the behavior of Kremlin officials.
It seems that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has the tools to face positions incompatible with the interests of Iran and Russia.
First; The Islamic Republic of Iran should go beyond political and security relations with Russia and strengthen the economic dimension of these relations so that the Russians receive the message that disrupting relations with Tehran will have an economic cost for them. It should be noted that while the volume of Iran's foreign trade with Russia has not exceeded 4 billion dollars per year and Russia is not even among the top 5 trading partners of Iran, in 2022, the non-oil trade between Russia and the United Arab Emirates increased by more than 68%. It exceeded 9 billion dollars, of which 8 billion and 500 million dollars were Russian exports, which shows a 71% growth compared to 2021.
Second; The Islamic Republic of Iran should remind and warn Russia that supporting the territorial claims of other countries can harm Russia itself as well. For example, Russia and Japan have a dispute over the Kuril Islands. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced in the middle of the Ukraine war that the northern territories are a group of Japanese islands that Tokyo has the right to rule over and are an integral part of Japan's territory, but Russia is currently occupying it illegally. Officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran can raise the need to resolve the dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands, an action that was also taken last summer. In a meeting with the Japanese envoy last summer, the Head of Iran's Foreign Policy Strategic Council Kamal Kharrazi said that Tehran is opposed to any military intervention and violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, adding that he believes that the best way to resolve the territorial disputes between Japan and Russia over the four islands is direct negotiation between the two countries.
Reacting to the recent Russia's stance, Iranian vice president for economic affairs Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X, "Russia's unfriendly interventions regarding Iran's territorial integrity should not be repeated. The trio islands are not the Crimean peninsula." Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, also reminded Russia that Russia is in a complicated international situation, and the adoption of some positions by the Russian Foreign Ministry is regrettable and damages the credibility of this country.
These statements can be expressed through official channels and with a more decisive position, so that Russia realizes that the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the one hand, does not allow Moscow to use Iran's card to gain benefits from other countries and play with Iran's national interests and territorial integrity to get privileges from other countries has a cost for Moscow and cannot be tolerated, and on the other hand, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not willing to remain silent or passive in the face of some of the incorrect policies, which are crossing Iran's red lines, at the cost of maintaining relations with Russia.
Third; The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the countries that not only did not take anti-Russian positions in the Ukraine war but was also accused by the United States and Europe of supporting Russia in this war. The repetition of Russia's position towards the Iranian islands can be accompanied by a change in the approach of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards Ukraine, because as the Russians believe, there are no permanent friends and enemies in foreign policy, but there are permanent interests. Iran can also raise this issue in relation to Moscow.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the most important red line of Iran is to preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty. During the 8 years of the imposed war, even though the great powers supported Iraq, not an inch of Iran's soil was lost. The UAE's claims over the trio islands, even if they are repeated every day, will not create a problem in the Iranian identity of these islands, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will never be present at any negotiation table about these islands. However, silence or passivity in the face of the alignment of some countries such as Russia is also not permissible and it is necessary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran to react and take more serious action in this regard.
MNA/5973684
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