TEHRAN -- A senior Iranian official sharply rejected Saturday the United Arab Emirates’ claims to three Persian Gulf islands, saying Abu Dhabi has forfeited any right to speak of “Arab rights” or “Islamic solidarity” after hosting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ali Akbar Velayati, international affairs adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said in a post on social media that “a country whose political lifespan does not reach half a century claims, from the UN podium, islands that have been recorded under Iran’s name in historical documents and maps for centuries.”
“Geography does not change with statements. Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa have been Iranian and will remain Iranian,” Velayati said, referring to the UAE’s claims raised at the United Nations General Assembly.
The Iranian official further criticized Abu Dhabi, noting that just one week after giving Netanyahu a warm reception, it speaks of “Arab rights” and “Islamic solidarity.” 
“Public opinion from Cairo to Beirut is judging this double standard,” Velayati said.
Velayati’s remarks represent a growing pattern of Iranian criticism of the UAE, which played an active role in the U.S.-Israeli terrorist war on Iran that began on February 28. 
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in May that “the UAE is an active partner in this aggression, there is no doubt about it,” noting that Abu Dhabi “even refused to condemn” the attacks.
The UAE is widely believed to have carried out dozens of airstrikes against Iran, targeting Qeshm Island, Abu Musa Island, Bandar Abbas and the Lavaran refinery, with U.S. and Israeli intelligence support. 
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in July that a document released by Washington showing the easing of export control regulations and the upgrading of the UAE’s export status was “a reward for its support of the military aggression against Iran.”
The latest statement on the three Iranian islands follows Netanyahu’s secret visit to Abu Dhabi on September 27, during which he met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. Netanyahu reportedly asked the UAE president during the visit to publicly deny that he had sent a warning before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
According to Xinhua, the visit was not announced in advance, and Netanyahu’s delegation included the chairman of Israel’s so-called security council, the head of Mossad, and the prime minister’s military secretary.
It has now emerged that Netanyahu’s trip was directly linked to the subsequent Flydubai FZ1073 incident, part of a false flag operation aimed at manufacturing a pretext to drag the United States into another war with Iran. 
In his posts, Velayati used the phrase “neighbors stay, guests leave,” a direct reference to Netanyahu’s visit—implying that Israel, as a “passerby,” will eventually depart, while Iran, as a “neighbor,” will remain in the region permanently.
Velayati warned that “imported security has an expiration date,” a direct reference to the UAE’s reliance on Israeli and American security protection.