“A political position refuted by facts.” Anwar Gargash responds to Ali Larijani’s criticism of the UAE regarding the “three islands”

- Anwar Gargash, advisor to the Emirati president, responded to the criticism of Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, to a statement delivered by the UAE to the United Nations in which it once again demanded its ownership of the three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, which are disputed with Iran. Anwar Gargash wrote in a post on his official account on the “X” platform, previously Twitter, on Sunday: “Mr. Ali Akbar Velayati’s criticism of the UAE’s statement to the United Nations regarding its three occupied islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, is a political position refuted by the facts and documents on which the UAE relies to assert its rights.”

Gargash added: “Our approach is clear and consistent: resolve the conflict peacefully through direct bilateral negotiations or resorting to the International Court of Justice. We will continue to demand our legitimate rights, steadfastly and responsibly, to reach a peaceful solution in accordance with international law.”

Anwar Gargash's blog post came after statements by the advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, about the UAE, in which he criticized its "claim from the United Nations podium for the three islands," which he said had been "recorded in historical documents and maps of the past centuries in the name of Iran," according to his description, and according to what was reported by the official Iranian "IRNA" news agency, on Saturday. Larijani claimed that "geography does not change with a statement, and that the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa were Iranian and will remain Iranian," he said.

In its statement before the United Nations General Assembly last September, delivered by Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State, the United Arab Emirates affirmed its “commitment to the approach of diplomacy, dialogue, and reducing escalation, and supporting just and comprehensive peace efforts based on the two-state solution, an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the arrival of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.” Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said in the UAE’s speech: “In our approach to giving priority to diplomatic solutions and establishing justice in the international system, my country continues to place the issue of the three occupied UAE islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, at the top of its national priorities, as we continue our calls for Iran to end its occupation of these islands, which It is considered an integral part of the territory of the UAE, and it must respond to our repeated calls to resolve this dispute, through direct negotiations, or resorting to the International Court of Justice,” according to what was reported by the Emirati “WAM” news agency.