WAM CAIRO: The Arab Parliament has urged Iran to respect the UAE's rights to, and sovereignty over its islands, Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, and to abstain from pursuing the "policy of creating problems" with the Arabian Gulf countries.

The speaker of the Arab Parliament Ali Salem Al-Dakbasi, in press release, described as "provocative" the Iranian President Ahmadinejad's visit to Abu Musa. He added the Ahmadinejad's visit provoked anger from Arabs towards Iran.

"All Arabs back the UAE's defence of its historical rights and full sovereignty on the three islands." "This visit has exposed Tehran's false claims regarding its friendship and peaceful relations with the Gulf countries", Al-Dakbasi said.

Iran needs to know that Pan-Arab security is indivisible whole and that Iran's friendship with Arabs should be inseparable from a policy of non-intervention and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other states and a keen interest in establishing good neighbor relations with Arab Gulf states.

WAM/MMYS