TEHRAN In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani, denounced current attempts to challenge Iran's sovereignty over the Persian Gulf and its three strategic islands, calling such claims a blatant infraction of worldwide law and the UN Charter.The ambassadors letter, addressed to the Security Council president on Tuesday, condemned the fabricated naming of the Persian Gulf in a declaration issued by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Councils 163rd meeting of foreign ministers.The term Persian Gulf is the sole historical and legal designation for this body of water, validated by centuries of worldwide files and historic texts.For over 2,500 years, the Persian Gulf has actually served as a crossroads of civilizations, obtaining its name from the ancient Persian empires that formed the regions cultural and geopolitical identity.Since the Achaemenid era, this designation has appeared consistently in international maps, treaties, and UN documents, with the United Nations supporting the Persian Gulf as the only genuine name.Furthermore, historic recordsincluding 19th-century British maps commissioned by the Marquess of Salisburycorroborate Iran's enduring sovereignty over the region.Full and unquestionable sovereignty over Iranian islandsAmbassador Iravani also categorically rejected unfounded disturbance in Iran's sovereignty over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb, describing such claims as inappropriate meddling that contravene the concepts of territorial stability and non-interference.
The Persian Gulf Cooperation Councils recent statement, which echoed the UAEs territorial claims, was dismissed as baseless and lacking legal merit.The ambassador also stressed the countrys dedication to global standards and regional stability.
Iran has always stressed adherence to worldwide law and the promo of peace and stability in the area, Iravani said.He reiterated Iran's desire to engage in positive dialogue with Arab next-door neighbors, provided such talks respect sovereignty and historical realities.The islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunblocated in Iran's Hormozgan province and long integrated into Persian trade and security networksremain critical to the countries territorial integrity.In 1971, following the withdrawal of British forces, Iran consolidated its control over these islands by signing a memorandum of comprehending with Sharjah, a precursor to the United Arab Emirates.Moreover, historical evidencefrom Persian governance dating back to the 6th century BCE to 19th-century British colonial recordscorroborates Iran's enduring ties to a region strategically placed near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for 40% of global oil trade.
This short article very first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times