Iran summons Russian charge d’affaires Over support of claims on Iran’s islands in Persian Gulf

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian charge d’affaires to convey the strong protest of the Islamic Republic over Russia’s repeated support for claims on Iran’s trio Persian Gulf islands.

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian charge d’affaires on December 23 in the absence of the country’s ambassador and handed him a note of protest over the statement the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum issued in Morocco on December 21 on three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, IRNA reports.

That statement voiced support for peaceful solutions to resolve what the participants called a conflict between Iran and the UAE over the islands.

The Russian diplomat was told that respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries is one of the fundamental principles of relations between nations.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that the three Persian Gulf islands permanently belong to Iran, and the Iranian government rejects any claim by any side in this regard.

The Russian charge d’affaires promised to convey Iran’s protest to authorities in Moscow.

In a phone call with his Russian counterpart on December 22, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also said that the Islamic Republic will not compromise with any side on its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Back in July, Russia also drew Iran’s anger by supporting a joint statement with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council over the three islands. At that time, Iran summoned the Russian ambassador to protest Moscow’s move.