This is the second time that the Russian envoy in Tehran has been summoned over the same issue.

Tehran, Iran – Iran has summoned the Russian envoy to Tehran again after Moscow signed another joint statement with Arab nations calling for negotiations over three disputed islands that the United Arab Emirates claims.

The Russian envoy was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry to receive Tehran’s “strong protest” against the statement, state news website IRNA said late Saturday.

The Russian envoy to the Foreign Ministry was reportedly told that respect for the territorial integrity of nations is a fundamental principle in relations between two countries. IRNA also said the official had been told that the three disputed islands “belong to Iran forever,” nullifying them External claims unacceptable.

The islands in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, namely the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, have been ruled by Iran since 1971, when its navy took control of them following the withdrawal of British troops from what is now the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE also claims it as part of its territory and has recently received increased support from Russia and China, which also counts Tehran among its allies.

Iran called for this Chinese envoy to Tehran about a similar joint statement with Arab nations in the region in December 2022 and had also convened the Russian ambassador in July via an almost identical joint statement.

Russia’s joint statement, signed this week during the sixth edition of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Morocco, supported “peaceful solutions and initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice in accordance with international law and the UN Charter to solve.” “.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned it earlier this week, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian raised the issue with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who led the delegation to Morocco.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Lavrov told Amirabdollahian that Russia has always respected Iran’s territorial integrity and “this official policy of Moscow should never be questioned.”

Maybe Russia should talk to Japan?

The joint statement also angered some Iranian lawmakers, who took to social media to make clear the issue was non-negotiable.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that this was increasingly the case warm ties The agreements with Russia are based on mutual respect and any claims that threaten Iran’s territorial integrity will be met with a “serious response.”

“Russia must be careful that the West exploits its mistakes,” he wrote.

Ghalibaf also pointed out that Iran has not remained idle on the islands and has made various efforts to achieve this populate and develop them. He promised that Parliament would provide legal support to efforts to develop the islands.

Other lawmakers took tougher stances on both Moscow and Abu Dhabi.

“It looks like the language of kindness needs to change, at least towards the UAE,” wrote Hadi Beiginejad on X.

Another lawmaker, Ebrahim Rezaei, said: “If they propose negotiations, then we also invite the Russians to negotiate with Japan over the Kuril Islands,” referring to a dispute over four islands between Russia and Japan.