Khamenei’s brother says officials must travel to disputed islands

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 23/ Trend D.Khatinoglu/ Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei's brother Mohammad has proposed that Iranian officials should travel to the triple disputed islands between Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Mohammad Khamenei told Fars News Agency that the triple islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf have belonged to Iran for at least 2500. After the journey by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Abu Musa Island, UAE who says these triple islands are occupied by Iran, protested at Ahmadinejad's visit. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Iran should come to the negotiation table and end the Abu Musa Island impasse at the earliest date as the issue has serious ramifications on the security of the region because 40 per cent of the world's energy needs passes through this channel. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparat said categorically in response to the UAE protest, that the triple islands belong to Iran and this is not a topic of negotiation. In a statement signed by 225 lawmakers on April 28, the Iranian Parliament also rejected the UAE claims. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az