Wed Nov 13 04:47:40 UTC 2024: ## Iran Cites 130-Year-Old Maps in Island Dispute with UAE

**Tehran, Iran:** Iran has escalated its long-running territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over three strategic islands in the Strait of Hormuz, citing maps drawn up by the British War Office in 1888. These maps, commissioned by the British foreign secretary at the time, the Marquess of Salisbury, reportedly depict the islands as part of Iran while classifying the UAE territory as the “Pirate Coast.”

The islands, Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb, are located at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil tankers passing from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Ownership of these islands has been a point of contention between the UAE and Iran for over 50 years, with both claiming historical and territorial rights.

The dispute has gained renewed urgency following a joint statement issued by the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) last month. The statement condemned Iran’s “occupation” of the islands, calling it a violation of the UN charter and the UAE’s sovereignty.

Faced with this international pressure, Iranian diplomats are highlighting the 1888 maps, which they argue demonstrate British recognition of Iran’s ownership of the islands. They also point to a map gifted to Iran’s Shah Naser al-Din Shah Qajar by the British ambassador Henry Drummond Wolff in 1888.

However, the UAE counters that the British position on the islands’ ownership was inconsistent and that the islands historically belonged to the Qasimi dynasty, which ruled Sharjah.

The escalating dispute has created diplomatic tension between Iran and its Gulf neighbors, as well as with the EU. While Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, seeks to avoid a major confrontation with Arab states, the Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has adopted a more aggressive stance, accusing the GCC of making “baseless claims” about Iran’s territorial integrity.

The dispute over these strategically important islands, coupled with Iran’s ongoing tensions with the West, highlights the complexities and challenges of navigating regional security and political landscapes in the Middle East.

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