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The Three Islands from a Historical Perspective
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Abstract: (42 Views) |
In 1819, British forces entered the strategic and sensitive region of the Persian Gulf, unlawfully occupying key islands, including the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, to solidify their position. Prior to this, they had suppressed the Qawasim forces along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf and placed all local sheikhs under their protection. Following the occupation of islands such as Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, these territories were handed over to the sheikhs of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah. When Britain decided to withdraw its forces from the Persian Gulf, it sought to return the occupied Iranian islands to Iran through agreements with Iran and the Emirates' sheikhs. This was a key condition set by Iran for agreeing to the formation of the United Arab Emirates. While there was no issue regarding the return of the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, the case of Abu Musa involved an agreement between Iran and the Emirate of Sharjah, establishing a shared-benefit framework for the island. This agreement was finalized in 1971 and accepted by both parties. In recent years, the United Arab Emirates has claimed ownership of the three islands and has sought to exploit current conditions, including the weakened state of Iran's foreign policy and the impact of extensive global sanctions, to advance its interests. On the other hand, given the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and its role in energy transit to the West, coupled with Iran’s frequent threats in global contexts to block the Strait of Hormuz, the involvement of Western colonial powers led by the United States and Britain, as well as Eastern rivals, particularly China and Russia, which have recently joined this trend, is evident in this issue. Therefore, considering the importance of this matter, this paper adopts a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the historical background of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands and emphasize Iran’s rightful sovereignty over these territories. It also highlights that the main reason behind the UAE's claims lies in weaknesses in Iran’s political relations with both the Western and Eastern worlds. This claim has increasingly taken on a global dimension, with the UAE leveraging historical and other pretexts to assert its stance.
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| Keywords: : Iranian islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Abu Musa, 1971 Agreement |
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Full-Text [PDF 960 kb]
(17 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2024/12/5 | Accepted: 2025/02/3 | Published: 2025/01/26
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