Baghaei says the islands are Iran's and Canada's stance breaches the UN Charter.
Esmaeil BaghaeiIranian foreign ministry spokesperson
In a statement published by Iran's foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei says Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are part of Iran's territory. He says Canada's move to align with the UAE claim violates the UN Charter and international law and entails the Canadian government's international responsibility.
“Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb are an inseparable and eternal part of Iran’s territory such an action by Canada—which itself faces territorial claims by the US ruling establishment—is short-sighted, violates the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, and runs counter to international law, entailing the international responsibility of the Canadian government.”
Official statement
Reporting
Reporting
Other statements by Esmaeil Baghaei in this case
- Esmaeil Baghaei defends Iran's sovereignty claim to the three islands.Later: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
UAE and Canada call three islands occupied; Iran rejects the claim.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for an end to what they described as the occupation of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. Their October 28, 2026 joint statement said the situation violated UAE sovereignty and principles of the UN Charter. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected that position, asserting that the islands belong to Iran and criticizing Canada for endorsing the UAE claim. The UAE has also called for a peaceful settlement through direct negotiations or referral to the International Court of Justice.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
English text published by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 29, 2026, setting out spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei's statement on the Canada-UAE joint statement about Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. The ministry renders his remarks in the third person.
Reporting
About this source
Tehran Times report, published October 30, 2026, on Baghaei's statement condemning the Canada-UAE joint statement. It also reports that Canada backed the UAE claim in an earlier joint statement in November 2025.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Tehran Times report, published October 31, 2026, on Baghaei's post on X about the Canada-UAE joint statement. It says he had issued a separate statement condemning Canada's position on October 29.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Baghaei responds to the joint statement that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued after meeting in Ottawa. He condemns what he calls brazen and interventionist claims by the UAE and Canada about the three islands.
After the quotation
He says repeating baseless claims about the islands will not change their geographical, historical and legal status, and he advises the UAE to respect the principle of good neighborliness. On October 31 he criticized Canada's position again in a post on X.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Iran's control of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, which the Canada-UAE joint statement calls an occupation. Baghaei defends that control: he says the islands are an inseparable part of Iran's territory and condemns Canada's endorsement of the UAE claim. His criticism is aimed at Canada's stance, not at Iran's control, and he asserts Iranian title rather than only disputing the occupation label, so this is a defense rather than a challenge to the description.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Mark Carney
More from this case
Read the full caseIranian Canadian Congress asks Carney to retract the occupation wording.
Iranian Canadian Congress
“The ICC strongly objects to the characterization of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb as UAE territories “under occupation”, a statement which undermines Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and risks further unlawful aggression against Iran. The ICC therefore calls upon the Government of Canada to: retract its characterization of the three Iranian islands as occupied UAE territories; issue a correction acknowledging Iran’s longstanding sovereignty over the islands”Read statement
Carney and Sheikh Khaled call for an end to occupation of Abu Musa and the Tunbs.
“they called for an end to the occupation of the three islands of the UAE”Read statement
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- Title
- Baghaei says the islands are Iran's and Canada's stance breaches the UN Charter.
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/8719-in-a-statement-published-by-iran-s-foreign
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Baghaei says the islands are Iran's and Canada's stance breaches the UN Charter.". First published: 2026-11-13. Last updated: 2026-11-13. https://disputeindex.com/events/8719-in-a-statement-published-by-iran-s-foreign