An Iranian MP has announced plans for the establishment of the Province of Persian Gulf in southern Iran with “Bumusa” as its capital.
The Fars News Agency reports that Vali Esmaili told Parliament on Monday: “On the eve of our national day for the Persian Gulf, MPs plan to prepare a motion to form the touristic and cultural Persian Gulf Province with the capital of Bumusa.” He added that the motion is being prepared and will be handed over to Parliament once it gets the necessary signatures.
Esmaili said: “In the plan, Abu Musa will be change to “Bumusa”…since Abu Musa is a fake name.”
He added that with the establishment of the Persian Gulf Province, airliners passing over this region will have to announce the name of the province.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has announced that three streets in the Gulf country will be named after the three islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb.
United Arab Emirates has disputed Iran’s ownership of the three Islands for decades.
Iranian historians maintain that old maps of the region establish Iran’s ownership of the islands. They were taken over by British forces only in the early 20th century and finally were returned to Iran in 1971 as the British withdrew from the region. Iran regained control of the three Islands one day before the establishment of the United Arab Emirates.
The United Nations Security Council denied UAE claims to the three islands in 1971.
A trip to Abu Musa by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on April 11, 2012, triggered UAE protests, and with the support of Arab League states, the gulf state has demanded that the case be taken to The Hague.
Iran maintains that its ownership of the three islands is indisputable and the islands are an “inseparable” part of the country.
