Iran summons Russian ambassador over statement on Gulf islands

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran will not negotiate over three Gulf islands disputed with the United Arab Emirates, the legal adviser to Iran's president said on Wednesday following Tehran's summoning of the Russian ambassador over a statement about the islands.

The islands, Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb, are claimed by the UAE and Tehran, but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, now allied with Washington.

On Monday, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a joint statement in which foreign ministers expressed their support for a UAE initiative to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the islands through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice.

"Examining all past documents shows that these islands belong to Iran and cannot be disputed," said the Legal Advisor Mohammad Dehghan.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani condemned the Russia-GCC statement as contrary to friendly relations between Iran and its neighbours, adding "the three islands belong to Iran forever".

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra)