Minutes AN IRIAN CLAIMS TO PERSIAN GULF ISLANDS The Irian claims to the three islandsof Sirri, Bu Musa and Tunb are of longstanding. A history of these claims andHer Majesty's Government attitude towardsthe sovereignty of the islands aresumarised in a memorandum produced in 1961for the Embassy in Tehran (please seeBT 1083/1). Flag A NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN 2. H.M. Ambassador in Tehran, as may beseen from his letter of July 19 toMr. Morris, has relied on this memorandumand he is clearly fully aware of ourspecial treaty relationships with theTrucial States Rulers. He may, however,wish to know more about the renewed oilinterest in the Eastern Trucial Statesresulting from the concessions which theRulers of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm alQaiwain signed with John Mecom last year.Mecom is now actively exploring the offshore areas of his three concessions andwe have heard that he has hopes oflocating a possible oil structure justSouth of Bu Musa Island. The ContinentalOil Company have recently acquired theland concession in Dubai and are nowentering into a partnership arrangementwith BP for the Dubai off-shore area whichthe Company proposes actively to survey.This increased oil activity may welllhaverevived Irian interests in the TrucialStates and encouraged them to press oncemore their claims to the three islandsunder discussion. 3. If the Irians are proposing toinfiltrate people onto Bu Musa and Tunbthere may be a need for the Rulers ofSharjah and Ras al Khaimah respectively toassert their influence more affectively.If there is infiltration we shall have nooption but to protest to the Irians hashappened in the case of Tunb when ahelicopter and a launch party landed thereillegally in 1961. (See BT 1083/7) Flag B 4. I attach a draft telegram to Tehran. J.G. Cras found (D. G. Crawford)July 25, 1963. Ekrem Dent frust Tam sur thak oil forms the rulbasis of this rurd Immian merekaI under whether the Anchis letter o 6646 (0996) AO St.
