With the aim of 'strong defense of Iranian islands'; 'IRGC naval exercise' held in the Persian Gulf waters

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has begun a 'naval exercise' in the Persian Gulf waters, focusing on Abu Musa Island. According to the IRGC-affiliated news agency 'Fars', this exercise, named 'Power', aims to 'strongly defend Iranian islands' in the Persian Gulf, particularly focusing on 'Abu Musa Island' since early morning today, August 2nd. As reported by official Iranian news agencies, operational combat units, naval forces, missile units, drone units, air support, electronic warfare, rapid response units, Imam Hussein battalions from Hormozgan province, naval Basij, and the IRGC Aerospace Force are participating in this exercise. On July 9th, Moscow supported the final statement of the sixth round of strategic talks between the foreign ministers of Russia and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council regarding the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. In that statement, the foreign ministers of the Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council called for a peaceful resolution to the issue of the three islands through 'bilateral negotiations' or the 'International Court of Justice' based on international law and the United Nations Charter to resolve this matter. Moscow's support for the UAE's territorial claims over parts of Iranian-controlled areas came after a joint statement in December 2022 from China and the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, emphasizing their leaders' support for all peaceful efforts, including the UAE's initiative to achieve a peaceful resolution regarding the three islands through bilateral negotiations while respecting international legal standards and addressing this issue with international legitimacy. Moscow and Beijing's support for the requests of the Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council comes at a time when the Islamic Republic has always claimed to have a strategic relationship with these two countries, each of which has also signed a long-term confidential agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran in various fields. At the same time, the 'Jomhouri Eslami' newspaper published in Tehran on July 13th referred to Russia as 'the ultimate coward' and stated that Iranians still bear the 'marks of Russian teeth in Golestan and Turkmenchai'. The Persian section of 'Voice of America' has extensively examined the history of Iran's ownership of the three islands in the Persian Gulf, the disputes surrounding it, and the recent support from Russia and China for the UAE's claims. The details of Iran's ownership of Greater and Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa islands were discussed with Peyrooz Mojtahedzadeh, shedding light on Russia and China's involvement in the UAE's claims over the three islands. The history of Iran's ownership of the three islands in the Persian Gulf; a report by Hassan Sarbakhshian. Is the dispute over Iran's ownership of the three islands diplomatically resolvable? Does Russia consider the three islands to belong to Iran? Rajab Safarov provides answers.