Friday, October 19, 2012

Dispute Over Islands Heats Up Between Iran And The UAE


Iran-UAE Island Dispute Could Escalate -- Voice of America

WASHINGTON, DC — Together, Abu Musa, Greater Tunbs and Lesser Tunbs amount to fewer than 26 square kilometers of sand and scrub. But their location in the middle of Persian Gulf shipping and tanker lanes near the Strait of Hormuz gives the islands huge strategic importance.

And this importance extends not only to the United Arab Emirates and Iran – both of which claim the islands -- but far beyond. The dispute over who has sovereignty over the islands dates back more than a century. Until recently, the debate was a regional matter. Now, in the light of rising tension over Iran’s nuclear plans and Israel’s threats to attack Iran, the dispute could heat up quickly.

Read more ....

My Comment: The international focus is on China's territorial disputes with its neighbors ... but the Iran/UAE dispute is even more serious when one realizes that a good portion of the world's oil supplies pass through these disputed islands everyday. My prediction on what is going to happen ... Iran will ignore all international demands that they withdraw their forces and enter into negotiations with the UAE.

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