Iran to probe UAE island construction

Wed Mar 9, 2011

A senior Iranian lawmaker has announced that the Parliament (Majlis) is set to investigate the UAE's plan for building man-made islands in the Persian Gulf.

"It is necessary to follow up on the case with reference to issues of maritime laws and conventions," said Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi.

Majlis has held several meetings over the case so far, IRNA quoted the Iranian parliamentarian as saying on Wednesday.

Last week, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the construction of such islands could have security as well as ecological consequences for the region.

He also called for cooperation between the Persian Gulf littoral states in order to prevent any security or ecological problem.

Brigadier General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, the senior military adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has described the move illegal, saying any coastal country should inform other littoral states of any decision to construct artificial islands and get their approval before starting to do so.

He argued that the UAE seeks to pursue the expansion of its territorial waters illegally and to gain support of extra-regional powers for its claim by constructing such islands.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168962.html.