Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman stresses the country’s full sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs at the end of a meeting of the Russian Federation and the Persian Gulf Council (GCC).

Nasser Kan’ani’s comments came on Tuesday after a joint statement issued at the end of the sixth joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Russian Federation, held in Moscow on Monday.

In their statement, the ministers said the issue should be settled through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Iranian spokesperson rejected the contents of the statement about the trio islands and said they “eternally belong to Iran and such statements are inconsistent with Iran’s friendly relations with its neighbors.”

Kan’ani once again reaffirmed Iran’s policy of good neighborliness and mutual respect and held all regional states accountable for development and stability in the region.

The three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

The three islands fell under British control in 1921 but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran’s sovereignty over the islands was restored.

Iran recognizes that Arabs ruled the islands for centuries, but all historical documents show that they did so from the Iranian port city of Lengheh and therefore as Iranian subjects.