Morocco backs UAE in dispute with Iran over three Islands

Morocco reaffirmed on Wednesday in New York its «firm and constant» support for the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over the islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

The ambassador and permanent representative of Morocco, Omar Hilale, speaking before the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly, indicated that the Kingdom supports «the request of this brotherly country to end the occupation by Iran of these three Emirati islands, as well as its position calling for the search for a solution either through direct negotiation or by referring the matter to the International Court of Justice».

The islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, located in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz, are at the heart of a territorial dispute between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 1971, Iran took control of the islands, claiming they historically belonged to its territory, while the UAE claims their sovereignty, considering them part of the emirate of Sharjah.

These islands have strategic importance due to their key position for oil maritime transport. Despite calls for international negotiations by the UAE, Iran refuses to concede on the issue of sovereignty, although it is open to discussions on the shared administration of the island of Abu Musa.

For the record, Iran has recognized the «SADR» since the early 1980s. Diplomatic relations between Rabat and Tehran have been severed since 2018.