The Role of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council in the United Arab Emirates Dispute with Iran over Three Islands Issue

Abstract

The relation between Iran and the Arab states of the region has undergone a lot of ups and downs
throughout the history and the outbreak of war has helped the intensification of the conflict. According to
historical documents, three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf have
always been governed by Iran and this can be proved by firm legal arguments. According to certain rules
of international law, such as the succession of states, the law of treaties, the United Arab Emirates has no
claim over the three islands. Meanwhile, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council has a biased position
toward the United Arab Emirates as an Arabic member of the council regarding Iran and adopted a dual
approach with doubt on Iran. Cooperation Council also has to avoid serious challenges with Iran to
maintain security in the region, on the other hand; it apparently does not have trust and confidence in
Iran's intentions. This can be related to Iraq's expellee from Kuwait where the issue of the three islands
was offered and exacerbated by the Emirates and provided the substrate for further disputes between
Tehran and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council although, other regional and trans-regional issues have
influenced the trends of differences. This article tries to examine and analyze the historical and legal
contexts of this issue and the policy making of the Persian Gulf Council regarding it.