Flare Up in Iran-UAE Island Dispute

Iran and the United Arab Emirates both claim sovereignty over the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands. This conflict predates the Islamic Republic, with Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ordering the Imperial Navy in 1971 to assert Iranian sovereignty over the islands. The dispute has simmered since then and resurfaces regularly. Tensions were sparked October 16 when the European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council held their first summit, themed the “Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.” The summit produced a joint statement, which among other things, called on Iran to “end its occupation of the three islands of the United Arab Emirates, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, which constitutes a violation of the sovereignty of the UAE and the principles of the Charter of the UN.”  

Iran’s ruling elites appear to have embraced what they perceive as a threat to Iran’s territorial integrity as an opportunity to rally Iranians around the flag. Iranian nationalism, they believe, may be a much-needed antidote to yearslong anti-regime protests and the growing gap between state and society in Iran. However, nationalist sentiments and increasingly angry reactions from Iranian officials risk alienating Arab states, with whom Iran is normalizing diplomatic relations.  

• October 19: In its first reactions to the EU-GCC joint statement, reformist Shargh Daily commented: 
  • “With the Middle East in crisis for over a year and Tehran on the verge of full-scale tension with Tel Aviv, the UAE is taking advantage of the situation to reassert its baseless claims over the three Iranian islands. Following in the footsteps of the Chinese, Russians, and Japanese, who have already sided with the UAE, it is now the turn of the European Union.”  
• October 19: Reformist Etemad newspaper interviewed Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a former member of the parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, who commented: 
  • “The push for the UAE’s claims began with countries that Iranians viewed as friends and partners. Russia and China were the first to support the UAE. Now, the Europeans have followed suit, and we can expect the United States to do the same.” When asked about the purpose of such claims, he said: “While the claims serve legal purposes, they are also politically motivated. The Emiratis know their claim is baseless and that the Iranian people will never concede on territorial integrity. Their goal is to persuade the tribunal in The Hague and perhaps even the U.N. Security Council to issue a ruling. This is what makes the situation dangerous.” 
  • When asked why the UAE is pursuing this risky agenda, Falahatpisheh said: “Iran’s diplomatic missteps in recent years have created many enemies. Iran viewed Russia and China as friends and has paid the price for that friendship, but neither country has reciprocated in any meaningful way.”  
  • On the EU’s involvement, he explained: “The Europeans are sending a message tied to Ukraine. They believe Iran has sided with Russia in the war and are retaliating against Iran. Arab countries are exploiting the growing rift between Iran and the EU, but, in doing so, they serve the interests of international Zionism. While they remain silent about the killing of Palestinians, they amplify the Iran issue. This is a joint Arab, European, and Zionist conspiracy.” 
• October 19: A commentary in Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mouthpiece Mashregh News recalled the 2023 restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, brokered by China, which has since shaped the region’s power dynamics. Mashregh’s commentary, however, argued that Saudi Arabia is reneging on the agreement and cited recent changes in the kingdom’s behavior: 
  • “It appears that regional developments and Saudi Arabia’s bet on Trump winning the U.S. election have prompted Riyadh to revert to a pre-Beijing-agreement stance. This may prove costly for Saudi Arabia.”  
  • The article further criticized Saudi-funded media outlets for their bolder attacks on Iran, framing the island issue and the EU-GCC statement as part of a larger psychological operation. 
  • The closing of the article is particularly notable: “The rulers of Saudi Arabia should understand that if regional security is compromised, even the costly Patriot air defense system will be ineffective. Their oil installations, power grid, and desalination plants will be vulnerable to resistance attacks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must send a clear message to the Saudi leaders, their backers, and their hidden Zionist backers that crossing Iran’s redlines will come at a cost. However, the door to Saudi Arabia remains open, and its closure depends on their behavior.” 
• October 20: According to Mashregh News, members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee will soon visit the islands. 
• October 20: Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf weighed in on the island dispute and was quoted by centrist Asr-e Iran as saying:  
  • “Instead of stopping the Zionist regime’s war machine, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council continues to make baseless claims about Iran’s territorial integrity … The European Union, along with some of its influential members, have reduced themselves to servants and apologists for the genocidal Zionist regime. The EU and other boasters should know that Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb are integral parts of Iran. No one dares to act against this acknowledged principle. For their own sake, they should refrain from testing the will of the Iranian nation.” 
• October 20: According to reformist Entekhab, former Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani said: “We will deal with the Arab states in due time.”  
• October 20: Former Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, the director of the official think tank the Strategic Foreign Policy Council, issued a statement released by Mashregh News:  
  • “The EU’s support for the UAE in this island dispute reveals their naked hostility toward Iran, which they attempt to legitimize by falsely claiming Iran supports Russia in the Ukraine war … The EU supports the Zionist occupation force in Palestine and its genocidal war of aggression against Palestinians. By selling weapons of mass destruction and financing this bloodthirsty regime, they have become opponents of Iran. This is why they hypocritically support a party undermining our territorial integrity and shoot poisonous arrows at us.” Kharazi advised “the young leaders of the Emirates” not to follow the European path, as it will only lead to “a ruinous war.” 

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