Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has denounced a joint statement of the EU and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) about three Persian Gulf Iranian islands, stating that Europe is embarking on a misguided and perilous path vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic.

In a post published on its official X account on Thursday, the mission stated that while European leaders acknowledged during high-level negotiations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 79th annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that mutual concerns could be resolved through dialogue, they have surrendered to baseless allegations regarding Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Europe is currently embarking on a misguided and perilous path vis-à-vis Iran. During the high-level week in New York and in a forward-looking approach, seven European leaders—in individual meetings with the President of Iran—acknowledged that the concerns of both parties could be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” the mission said. 

“Yet, in Brussels, they have recklessly ignored international law and the UN Charter, allowing themselves to become pawns of unfounded claims regarding Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the post read.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned the irrelevant and meddlesome EU-GCC statement against Iran, stating it carries many messages.

“To us, it is becoming clear that path of respectful cooperation we offered in several meetings, including in New York, is being met with European desire for confrontation—including via absurd accusation that Iran is engaged in ‘occupation,’” the top Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a post on X.

“The three islands have always belonged to Iran, and will forever remain as such,” the foreign minister asserted, noting, “Era of European malign ‘divide & rule’ interference in our region is long over.”

The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs 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. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

The islands fell under British control in 1921 but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran’s sovereignty over the islands was restored.