TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed the Arab League’s “fruitless claims” about three Persian Gulf islands, saying those territories are an “integral” part of the Iranian soil.

“It is unfortunate that some Arab countries are trying to divert the public opinion from their wicked and destructive actions by creating an imaginary enemy instead of addressing the main problems gripping the Arab world, such as letting the occupying tension-creating Zionist regime into the region, not doing enough regarding the Palestinian cause, continuing the oppressive war against Arab people in Yemen, creating the most heinous humanitarian crisis of the present era, and supporting terrorism and terrorist groups for years,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

Khatibzadeh made the remarks, two days after foreign ministers of the Arab League made groundless accusations against the Islamic Republic in a resolution adopted during their meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo.

The Arab League resolution alleged that Iran’s “occupation” of the Persian Gulf islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa violates “the UAE’s sovereignty” in a way that destabilizes the region and threatens international peace and security.

“The countries, which have the blood of innocent people on their hands and their devastating act of aggression has destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure and left millions of people hungry, sick, displaced and impoverished over the past six years, are seeking to absolve themselves of responsibility for the crimes by leveling baseless accusations at others,” Khatibzadeh added.

The strategically-positioned islands have always been part of Iran, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.

“The repetition of the fruitless claims regarding the three Iranian islands does not and will not change the existing historical, geographical, and historical facts. These islands are an integral part of the Iranian territory,” Khatibzadeh said.

He also stressed that Iran’s principled policy towards its neighbors is based on good neighborliness, mutual respect, and non-interference in their internal affairs.

The spokesman expressed hope that the Arab League and certain regional states would move towards regional dialog and cooperation, instead of issuing empty and provocative statements that only prolong the current destructive trend.