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Iran formally protested to Cyprus after Nicosia backed the United Arab Emirates in a long-running dispute over three strategically located islands in the Strait of Hormuz, summoning the Cypriot ambassador in Tehran to deliver what it called a strong warning.
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called in Cyprus’ ambassador to Iran, Petros Nakouzis, where Deputy Foreign Minister and Director General for the Persian Gulf Mohammad Alibek conveyed Iran’s “official and strong protest.”
At the heart of the dispute are the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, which Iran controls but the UAE claims as its own. Iranian officials insist the islands are an “inseparable part” of Iranian territory, arguing that Iran’s sovereignty over them is historical, unquestionable, and fully enforced.
During the meeting, Alibek criticized Cyprus for referencing the islands in a recent joint declaration with the UAE, saying Tehran expects Nicosia to “immediately correct” what he described as a serious diplomatic error and to avoid similar statements in the future.
Iran also stressed its stated policy of non-interference in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states, including Cyprus, while warning that such principles must be respected in return.
The diplomatic friction follows the recent visit to Nicosia by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which Cyprus reaffirmed its firm support for UAE sovereignty, particularly regarding the three disputed islands near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
In their joint declaration, Cyprus and the UAE echoed earlier EU–Gulf Cooperation Council statements, calling on Iran to end what they described as the occupation of the islands, which they said violates UAE sovereignty and the principles of the United Nations Charter. The two sides also voiced support for a peaceful resolution of the dispute, either through bilateral talks or by referring the matter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The episode places Cyprus in the middle of a sensitive geopolitical fault line, linking Gulf rivalries, EU positions and broader tensions with Iran, all sparked by a few carefully chosen lines in a joint diplomatic statement.
