Azernews.Az

Iranian delegation at 128th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Quito, Ecuador, on Thursday rejected any call for negotiation on Iranian Islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa claimed by United Arab Emirates, IRNA news agency reported.

A member of Iranian delegation, MP Halimeh Aali rejecting the calls for negotiation on the Iranian islands stressed in his speech to the assembly that Tehran is ready for negotiation with neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf, but on boosting the neighborly ties.

Moaied Hosseini Sadr headed the Iranian delegation to 128th IPU Assembly in Quito, which was held March 22 - 27. The key theme for the Assembly was "From unrelenting growth to purposeful development "Buen Vivir": New approaches, new solutions" which focused on ensuring a balanced approach to development which accounts for the well-being of communities and individuals. This debate also focused on the IPU's efforts to ensure that democratic governance is factored into the emerging post-2015 development framework.

The six-day conference also included Committee discussions on the role of parliament in safeguarding civilians' lives through enforcing the responsibility to protect fair trade and innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable development and the use of media, including social media, to enhance citizen engagement and democracy.

The UAE recently called its ambassador from Tehran after Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Abu Musa Island earlier this month.

Also, on April 13, the foreign ministers of the six-nation Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) held an emergency meeting in Doha and issued a statement against the Iranian President's visit to the Iranian island.

In reply, Iran said that the visit was an internal issue only related to Iran's state sovereignty.

International documents clearly show that the three islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa which were historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control in 1903. The islands were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE was born.

Iran has repeatedly declared that its ownership of the three islands is unquestionable.

Under the international laws, no state can defy any agreement, which came into being before its establishment.