Iran accuses Gulf Cooperation Council countries of interfering in its internal affairs

The Iranian foreign ministry has described the request made by the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council GCC from Iran to halt the maneuvers it is carrying out in the Gulf as "flagrant intervention in the internal affairs of Iran."

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Hameed Rida Asifi said in a statement he made on Friday in Tehran that "what is surprising is that these unrealistic claim against Iran come at a time when the countries of the region (Gulf states) are for several times carrying maneuvers with foreign forces."

The Iranian spokesman asserted that the three Iranian islands,Tanb the great,Tanb the small and Abu Mousa are an integrated part from the Iranian territories. He added "we expect the GCC member states to make the UAE behave in a realistic way and to avoid futile methods as well as to start a direct dialogue away from any preconditions and this dialogue to be in the framework of the understanding agreement for 1971."

During its Thursday's meeting, however, the GCC member states asked Iran to halt its military maneuvers in the Gulf. The GCC secretary general Jamil al- Hujeilan announced that the GCC is waiting for Iran's reply to the request to halt the maneuvers and to start a dialogue with the UAE concerning the three Gulf islands which are under disputes.