🇮🇷 | Why are the Three Iranian Islands — Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa: Important? (1/2):

—Greater Tunb:

The island of Greater Tunb lies south of Qeshm Island, between Bandar Lengeh and Ras al-Khaimah. It is located between 55°16′ and 55°19′ east longitude and 26°15′ and 26°19′ north latitude. The island is less than 50 km from Bandar Lengeh, while its distance from Ras al-Khaimah is about 70 km. At its closest point, Greater Tunb is 31 km south of Qeshm Island, placing it in the northern half of the Persian Gulf’s midline.

The island is roughly circular, with an estimated area of about 12 square kilometers. It is largely sandy, dry, and barren, with few sources of vegetation or water. In the northern part, there are low hills, the highest of which reaches 53 meters.

Greater Tunb has also been known by names such as Tomb Gup, Tunb Mar, and Talmar. The common belief is that Tomb or Tunb is a Persian (Dari) or Tangestani word meaning “hill” or “mound.” Accordingly, the island’s name is pronounced Tunb or Tumbo in the local dialect. The southern part of the island is flat and forms the best anchorage point, where some desert plants grow and are used to feed local livestock.

The island has no drinking water, which is supplied from Qeshm Island. In the past, there were a few semi-saline wells in the southern part, but they have all dried up today.

On the northern coast, there stands a lighthouse built in 1953 (1332 AH). Interestingly, despite all attempts at distortion, a simple check in Arabic dictionaries shows that the word “Tunb” does not exist in Arabic; it is purely Persian and Iranian in origin, used in this region since the Achaemenid era.

—Lesser Tunb Island:

The island of Lesser Tunb lies south of Bandar Lengeh and west of Greater Tunb. It is located between 55°08′ and 55°10′ east longitude and 26°14′ and 26°15′ north latitude. Like Greater Tunb, it is positioned in the northern section of the Persian Gulf’s median line. The distance between Lesser Tunb and Greater Tunb is about 12 kilometers, while it lies 50 kilometers from Bandar Lengeh and approximately 92 kilometers from the Ras al-Khaimah coast.

The island covers an area of around 2 square kilometers, which explains its name, Lesser Tunb. It has an almost triangular shape, with a width ranging from 1,100 to 1,500 meters. In the northwestern part, there is a dark rocky hill, the highest point of which rises 35 meters above sea level. The island’s coastlines are steep, and its climate is hot and humid. Lesser Tunb is uninhabited and has no freshwater sources. Only a few drought- and salt-resistant plants grow there. The only living creatures found on the island are birds and snakes, which is why it is also called “Tomb-e-Mār” (Snake Island).

Regarding the island’s climate and the Iranian ownership of the Tunb islands, it is worth citing the travel notes of James Morier, who visited Iran via the Persian Gulf in the early 19th century:

“On the 20th of February, we approached two islands called Greater and Lesser Tunb. These two islands bear Persian names and belong to the land of Iran. They are barren, uninhabited lands…”

It is important to note that, in Iran’s administrative divisions, the Tunb and Abu Musa islands were officially part of Bandar Lengeh before they were occupied by Britain. Iranian governors of Bandar Lengeh regularly appointed representatives to manage the affairs of these islands. Even during the British occupation, which lasted until 1971, the islands continued to be listed as Iranian territory in all administrative records and maps.

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(2/2):

In all official documents and maps prior to 1971 — the year these islands were returned to Iran — they were depicted as extensions of the Iranian mainland. After their restoration to Iran in 1971, the islands were incorporated into the province of Hormozgan, where they remain to this day as an integral part of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

—Abu Musa Island

Abu Musa is the southernmost and largest of the three Iranian islands, covering about 21 square kilometers and located approximately 225 kilometers from Bandar Abbas. Compared to Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, it has a larger population and, besides military personnel, some local families also reside on the island.

The island has facilities such as schools, a clinic, mosques, and shops, offering a relatively higher standard of living and welfare services compared to the other two islands.

The Strategic Importance of the Three Islands

The significance of the three islands cannot be understood separately from the overall strategic importance of the Persian Gulf. In fact, the islands’ position and relevance can only be comprehended within the broader geopolitical and geographical framework of the Gulf itself. Many of the geopolitical features that define the Persian Gulf also apply to these islands. Therefore, before analyzing the unique status of the three islands, it is essential to briefly review the extraordinary strategic importance of the Persian Gulf.

The Persian Gulf connects three continents — Europe, Africa, and Asia — with the lands of Iran, India, and China lying beyond it. Historically, this waterway was valued primarily for its trade and communication routes, but following the discovery of oil and gas, its importance took on entirely new dimensions. After World War II, and especially with the emergence of the bipolar world order, the Gulf gained even greater significance — particularly from the perspective of the rival superpower that viewed it as a key strategic zone.

The central factor behind the Persian Gulf’s global importance is its vast reserves of oil and natural gas. Approximately 65% of the world’s known oil reserves and about 30% of global natural gas reserves are located in this region — much of it beneath the seabed rather than on land. Because of these massive energy deposits, the Gulf is often called the “world’s oil reservoir.” Consequently, it plays a decisive role in the global economy, especially for industrialized nations, whose industries and economies are heavily dependent on energy — most of all, oil.

Another dimension of the Gulf’s importance lies in its role as a major market for military goods and equipment. The Gulf states, with a combined population of over 100 million and enormous oil revenues, form one of the world’s largest markets for arms and advanced technology.

The Strait of Hormuz has often been discussed as a focal point of the Gulf’s importance — and rightly so, for it is the key to this semi-enclosed sea. The Portuguese admiral and explorer Afonso de Albuquerque once said that whoever controls the three straits of Bab al-Mandab, Hormuz, and Malacca, controls the world. Indeed, the Strait of Hormuz is the main and essential passageway connecting the oil-rich Gulf states to the rest of the world. Virtually all Gulf countries depend on it for both oil exports and imports of essential goods.

For Iran, too, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz hold immense national importance. Although before the discovery of oil in southern Iran in the early 20th century, Iranian governments paid limited attention to the Gulf, the situation changed dramatically afterward. With the expansion of oil exports and the country’s increasing dependence on petroleum revenue, this region came to occupy a central place in Iran’s political and economic life.

In terms of military capability and population, too, Iran surpasses the other Gulf states — accounting for about 60% of the region’s total population and serving as its principal regional power.

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❎ | Statements of liberal Zionist Zohran Mamdani, new Muslim leader for ‘liberaltards.’

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❎ | Americans want HTS and Turkey to fight the SDF for their own purposes. A major dogfight is imminent, and it will strike, cripple, and further weaken Turkey, while the wildcard will open the door to ISIS 2.0 against them all, Turkey is not safe!

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🟩 | Recent Operations in Gaza: (as of 08 october):

🔹Al-Qassam Brigades

• Struck two military jeeps (Hammurabi type) on an enemy supply line near the Jura al-Lout clinic, south of Khan Yunis, using two Al-Yasin-105 shells; reported enemy killed and wounded and helicopters observed evacuating casualties.

• Hit two military Hummer/Humvee vehicles south of Khan Yunis with Al-Yasin-105 shells, inflicting casualties and injuries.

• Bombed a gathering of enemy soldiers and vehicles northwest of the Al-Tuffah neighborhood (east of Gaza City) with multiple mortar shells.

• Targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers and vehicles in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood (south of Gaza City) with mortar shells.

🔹Al-Quds Brigades

• Destroyed a military vehicle near Sheikh Radwan lake (north of Gaza City) by detonating a previously planted explosive device after returning from the front lines (reported last Thursday).

• Announced forthcoming footage of a military vehicle struck by an MK-84 bomb in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood (reverse-engineered, reportedly).

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✅ | Sharm al‑Sheikh’s talks are ongoing, crucial, and decisive; however, it is clear there is no chance Americans (including Israelis) will respond positively. The presence of Turkish representatives, the Qatari emir and prime minister, and others is meant to show this is the last chance before so‑called massive destruction — but Hamas and PIJ will not accept the pressure.

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⚠️ | A wave of fake news and psychological fabrication regarding Sharm al-Sheikh’s talks has emerged. We request not to regularly rely on any information or fabrication until and unless it is confirmed by the statements from Resistance, Resistance-affiliated news and channels.

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✅ | The West Bank is already weaponised by the Islamic Republic of Iran with whatever it needed — and it will soon reveal its miracle.

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