Publication

This paper looks at the history of the territorial dispute between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran over three islands in the Strait of Hormuz: Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. It examines the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods, focusing on the colonial period and Britain's position regarding the disputed islands including the shift to support Iran's claims after its announcement in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Gulf in 1971. The author also examines the contemporary legal perspectives of the UAE and Iran on the islands and contends that the UAE's legal and historical arguments - based on British archive records and international law - are more persuasive than those on the Iranian side.