Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham says it is "regrettable" that in the atmosphere created by the July nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, some southern Arab neighbors still stick to the failed policy of portraying the Islamic Republic as a threat and accusing Tehran of undermining regional security.
The Foreign Ministry official made the remark on Thursday in response to a joint statement issued by foreign ministers of Persian Gulf Arab states on Tuesday accusing Iran of interference in their countries' domestic affairs.
According to Afkham some (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council members which attempted to hinder the negotiation process on the deal are now angry over the success of diplomacy and think they can undermine international support for dialogue by repeating the same "threadbare allegations".
She urged the neighbors to reconcile themselves to the international rapprochement that led to the accord and halt their "hostile propaganda".
Afkham also dismissed the (P)GCC's policy regarding the three Iranian Persian Gulf Islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, stressing that unfounded claims will not change the existing legal and historical facts.
The (P)GCC ministers again backed the UAE's claim of sovereignty over the islands.
Afkham said the islands are an inseparable part of Iranian territory.
The three islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.
