TEHRAN (Iran News) –China’s ambassador to Tehran was called in by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday in protest at the Chinese government’s support for the unfounded claims in the clause 26 of a joint statement issued at the conclusion of a meeting of China and the UAE.

The director general of the Persian Gulf directorate at the Foreign Ministry of Iran expressed Iran’s protest at China’s stance on the Iranian trio islands declared in its joint statement with the UAE.

Pointing to the special and perfect relations between Tehran and Beijing, the Iranian diplomat described respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the other nations as a fundamental principle in the international relations.

Reaffirming Iran’s eternal sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf Islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, Mohammad Alibak said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran’s government deems any claim made by any party in this regard rejected and unacceptable.”

Considering the strategic cooperation between Iran and China, Tehran expects the Beijing government to rectify its stance on this issue, the Iranian official stated.

The Chinese ambassador said he will convey Iran’s protest to his country.

The islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Saeed Khatibzadeh rejected the comments that the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates has made in a session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Iran’s sovereignty over the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb is definite and irrefutable, and all of Iran’s measures have been taken within the framework of exercising its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and clearly have nothing to do with any foreign government,” the spokesperson added.

“Such (Emirati) comments and repetition of groundless claims have had and would have no impact on our country’s sovereignty, as they lack any legal validity,” Khatibzadeh stated.

He further deplored the UAE’s destructive interference in a number of countries and its active participation in warmongering, saying Abu Dhabi’s agreement on normalization of ties with the usurping, belligerent and crisis-creating Zionist regime has in fact turned the UAE into part of the crisis in the West Asia region.

The statement came after the UAE’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan rehashed the same story in a speech to the general debate of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, claiming that his country has legal right regarding sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands and alleging that Iran has occupied the islands in violation of the UN Charter.