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THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE ARABIAN GULF STATES
achieved at a time when Iran was “politically weak”. But with the
impending departure of the British from the Gulf, the return of the
islands “was imperative to Iran’s security, since they commanded
the entrance” to the Gulf.
2. The islands were shown in Iranian colours on a map issued by
the British Intelligence Section of the Ministry of Defence in 1886, a
copy of which had been presented to the Shah in 1888.1
What are the merits of Iran’s claim to the islands? The British
Government has never recognised Iran’s title to the said islands. In
the British view, ‘‘there is no documentary evidence to substantiate
Iran’s claim while there is evidence to support the view that
administration of Abu Musa and the Tunbs had reverted to the
Trucial coast of Qawasim by the early part of the second half of the
[19th] century”.2
Historical documents show that in the period between 1878 and
1887 the islands were loosely administered by al-Qawasim of the
island of Lingeh, which was under Iranian sovereignty during that
period. However, when in 1887 the Shah of Iran expelled the Arab
Shaikhs of al-Qawasim from Lingeh, which itself fell under direct
Iranian administration, the islands remained outside Iran’s control.3
Nevertheless, Iran claims ownership of the islands ‘‘on the grounds
that the islands had been administred by the Shaikh of Lingeh, and
that the inhabitants of the islands had paid taxes for at least 10 years
prior to 1887”.4 But in the view of the British Government, the
Shaikhs of Lingeh administered the islands ‘‘in their capacity as
Qawasim rulers and not as Iranian officials”. Moreover, it is clear
from historical documents, in the form of letters from the Arab
Shaikhs of Lingeh, that the islands became under ihe direct control
of the Qawasim of the Trucial States in 1872. The Rulers of Sharjah
and Ras al-Khaimah have revealed documentary evidence, based
on British official records, which supports their respective
‘‘prescriptive title” to the islands since 1872.5
Iran threatened to take over the Tunb islands in 1887, the same
year in which she annexed the island of Sirri, which was previously
under the jurisdiction of Sharjah. But no further action was taken by
Iran towards the islands until 1904, when a Belgian customs official
1. Churba, op. cit., pp. 41-2, 44; Report of the Secretary-General, op. cit., pp.
76-7.
3. Official Documents presented by Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah to the Council of
4 S^ChurbTop^p. interim Report to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah,
prepared by Coward Chance and Associates of Swithin s House, London
(Unpublished), 23 July 1971.
5. Ibid., pp. 42-3; Coward Chance’s Interim Report, op. cit.