Iran categorically rejected the joint statement of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union, describing it as “unfounded“ and “interventionist“, News.bg reports.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bagaei stressed that Iran's repeated claims of sovereignty over the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa islands “have no legal value“ and cannot change historical and geographical realities.
He warned against the “destructive and divisive interference“ of some European countries in the Persian Gulf region and stated that Iran's sovereignty over the three islands is “unquestionable and permanent“. He said extra-regional actors were fueling tensions through political maneuvering.
Bagaei also rejected the references in the GCC and EU statement to Iran's defense and nuclear programs, calling them “unacceptable interference in matters of national sovereignty“.
“Those who have turned our region into an arsenal of modern weapons worth hundreds of billions of dollars are not in a position to lecture Iran about its domestic defense capabilities“, Bagaei said, accusing Germany and France of imposing their political programs on the EU while providing full support to Israel.
Turning to Europe's role in the 2015 nuclear deal, the spokesman condemned the “weak, dependent and unscrupulous“ behavior of the three European parties to the agreement. “Shameful is that those responsible for the current situation are now posing as plaintiffs“, he added, criticizing GCC member states for providing a platform for European powers instead of directly addressing regional issues.
His remarks were in response to a joint statement issued yesterday in Kuwait after a meeting of GCC and EU foreign ministers. The document called on Iran to return to its legally binding commitments under the nuclear deal and to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The GCC and the EU stressed that diplomacy remains the only possible path to a sustainable solution to Iran's nuclear program and clarified that the resumption of sanctions “does not mean the end of dialogue with Iran“.
The joint statement also called on Tehran to limit its missile and drone development programs and play a role in reducing regional tensions. However, Iranian authorities argue that the country's military capabilities are strictly defensive in nature and insist that the source of instability in the region is Israeli actions.