Tehran summons EU envoys amid support for UAE territorial claims

Ambassadors and heads of European missions in Tehran have been summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in protest against the European Union’s stance on Persian Gulf issues.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated the move followed the joint statements made by the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) and the EU, which included support for the UAE’s territorial claims over Iran’s Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands, as well as comments on Iran’s defence and nuclear programs, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi expressed Iran’s firm protest, reaffirming the country’s absolute and perpetual sovereignty over the three islands, describing them as an inseparable part of Iranian territory. He condemned the EU’s support for the UAE’s claims as a violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Takht-Ravanchi also rejected the EU’s comments on Iran’s missile program, calling them blatant interference in Iran’s internal affairs, and stressed that Iran’s defensive capabilities, including missile power, are part of its inalienable right to self-defence and a source of regional stability and security.

Criticising the ineffectiveness of the three European parties to the JCPOA (France, Germany, and the UK), the senior diplomat said the EU, as coordinator of the Joint Commission, not only failed to meet its obligations but also misused the dispute resolution mechanism, creating diplomatic obstacles and a deadlock.

He concluded that the EU must be held accountable for its destructive behaviour, rather than repeating unfounded and politically motivated claims about Iran’s nuclear program.

By Khagan Isayev