TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Ambassador of Cyprus to Tehran on Tuesday, delivering a formal and forceful protest over the “meddlesome remarks” challenging Iran’s territorial integrity.
The confrontation centers on a recent joint statement between Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) concerning three strategic Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
The Cypriot ambassador, Petros Nacouzis, was called to the ministry where Mohammad Alibek, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for the Persian Gulf, presented a written protest note. The meeting was a direct response to a declaration made by officials from Nicosia and Abu Dhabi that included claims over the Iranian islands of Bu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb.
During the tense diplomatic encounter, Alibek articulated Tehran’s “strong objections” to the “provocative statement.” He firmly asserted Iran’s unchallengeable sovereignty over the islands, stating they are “inseparable parts of Iranian territory.”
“The historical and effective control of the Islamic Republic of Iran over these islands is beyond question,” Alibek told the ambassador, according to an official readout of the meeting. He emphasized that Iran’s sovereignty is supported by an extensive archive of “countless historical, legal, and geographical documents” both within Iran and internationally.
The senior diplomat reiterated Iran’s principled stance of condemning any external territorial claims, warning that such actions constitute a clear violation of the fundamental United Nations principle of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a pointed reminder, Alibek highlighted Iran’s longstanding policy of non-interference in the internal affairs and territorial integrity of other nations, a courtesy he stated Tehran expects in return. He explicitly called upon the government of Cyprus to take “swift action to rectify this false stance” and to avoid any repetition of such positions in the future.
The three islands have been a persistent point of contention between Iran and the UAE. While the UAE has repeatedly laid claim to them, Iran maintains an ironclad historical and legal position.
The islands came under British control in 1921. However, in a pivotal move on November 30, 1971, Iran reasserted its sovereignty. This action came just one day after the departure of British forces from the region and a mere two days before the UAE was formally established as a federation. On that date, the Iranian government officially issued land demarcation and ownership documents for Bu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb, a legal and administrative move as final confirmation of Tehran’s restored control.
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