Repeated claims of ownership: What do the occupiers from the Persian Gulf want?

The denial of reality by the Persian Gulf sheikhdoms, and the fueling of this denial and illusion by extra-regional countries—especially those with a long history of occupation and division—may send petro-dollars to European companies, but it will bring no long-term benefit to any party.

Nournews: Amid the bloody wars in Lebanon and Gaza, and while the genocide by the Zionist regime, burning the tents of women and children before the eyes of the world, continues, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) countries, excited by the threats against Iran, bring every guest and host to sign a document of claims and trumpet it everywhere.

Sometimes it's China and Russia, other times Europe and the U.S. The PGCC bloc, which was supposed to act to safeguard the region's security and the interests of member countries, has turned into a platform for the UAE to shoot arrows in the dark to fish out claims on the three Iranian islands from the troubled waters of Middle Eastern security. This greedy gaze of the Persian Gulf’s coastal states on Iran's three islands—Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa—sometimes becomes headlines in the media due to economic ambitions of some Eastern countries or deceitful divisive tactics by certain Western nations.

In the latest case, the PGCC raised its claims at the end of a meeting with the European Union, and the EU, with great pleasure, went a step further, falsely claiming that Iran has occupied these islands! In their final statement, the PGCC and EU, contrary to official, verified documents, asked Iran to end what they called the “occupation” of the three Iranian islands!

EU’s motives behind its stance

The accusation that Iran is occupying its own land, especially from countries with a long history of occupation, is a tragic comedy of history but reflects the world’s disregard for human concepts.

The EU began escalating tensions with Tehran in the summer of 2022 with claims that Iran had sent drones to Russia. Then, it accused Iran of human rights violations and interference in the region, including the Ukraine war, and later claimed that Iran was obstructing nuclear negotiations. This summer, the narrative escalated to claims of missile shipments to Russia and condemnation and sanctions against Iran’s legitimate responses to the illegal actions of the Israeli regime.

 As Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, emphasized, this confrontational approach is a rejection of the cooperative approach that Iran had proposed in New York. The EU, through its sanctions on Iranian aviation and support of the Arab delusions, should not expect Iran to maintain its former diplomatic posture.

Europe's wish for conflict with Iran, while the Israeli regime makes the region very dangerous, is like giving in to a harmful government. This government’s actions could endanger Europe’s future and safety. If this situation gets worse, it could harm everyone.

Supporting the claims of the southern Persian Gulf sheikhdoms may funnel the region’s petro-dollars to some European companies, but it won’t benefit the UAE in the long run—just as support from the U.S., China, and Russia yielded nothing for Abu Dhabi. Europe has pursued divisive policies in the region for hundreds of years and still hasn’t learned its lesson.

Iran has shown that it will not compromise over an inch of its land with any extra-regional or regional power. Throughout history, Iran has proven its ability to rise from crises, and today, as a powerful player in West and Southwest Asia, it stands ready to confront any political, security, or military moves against its national interests.