Iran designates November 30 as national day for Persian Gulf trio islands
Iran Press TV
Friday, 31 October 2025 11:22 AM
The Iranian government has designated the anniversary of the British withdrawal from Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb as the Persian Gulf Trio Islands National Day.
The occasion is set to be observed on the 9th day of Azar, the ninth month in the Iranian solar calendar. This usually coincides with November 30 or December 1 of the Gregorian calendar.
The three Iranian islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are situated in the Persian Gulf, positioned between mainland Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The islands have been an integral part of Iran for many centuries, a fact supported by numerous legal, historical, and geographical records both within Iran and internationally.
However, the UAE has challenged Iran's sovereignty over the islands in recent decades.
Iran has consistently emphasized that the three islands are an inseparable part of its territory and urged the Arab country to avoid taking stances that could harm the bilateral relations.
The origins of the issue trace back to the early 20th century, during a period marked by the decline of Iran under the Qajar dynasty and the growing influence of British imperialism in the Persian Gulf. This shift led to British control over the three islands, beginning with Abu Musa in 1904 and later extending to the two Tunbs in 1921.
For the following fifty years, London delegated local governance to the British-appointed sheikhs of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah.
Iran and the UK repeatedly engaged in intense debates concerning the status of the three islands, yet the discussions yielded no tangible outcomes.
On November 30, 1971, shortly after British forces withdrew from the area and only two days prior to the official establishment of the UAE federation, Iran's sovereignty over the islands was lawfully reinstated.
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