You’ve probably never heard of the Tunbs unless you spend a weird amount of time staring at maritime charts or following Middle Eastern geopolitics. They’re basically just rocks. Little specks in the Persian Gulf. But these two islands—Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb—are currently sitting at the center of a territorial dispute that has lasted decades and shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.
It's a mess.
Iran calls them Tunb al-Kubra and Tunb al-Sughra. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) claims them as their own, backed by historical ties to the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah. If you look at a map, they’re strategically positioned right near the Strait of Hormuz. That’s the world’s most important oil chokepoint. If you control the Tunbs, you have a literal front-row seat to about 20% of the world's liquid petroleum moving through the water. That is why people care. It’s not about the soil; it’s about the shipping lanes.
What Really Happened in 1971?
The year 1971 was a turning point. The British were packing up and leaving the Gulf, ending their protectorate status over what would become the UAE. Just one day before the UAE officially became a country, the Iranian Navy moved in.
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They took the islands.
It wasn't exactly a peaceful handover. On Greater Tunb, there was a brief, violent skirmish. A few Iranian soldiers and Ras al-Khaimah policemen died. Since then, Iran has maintained a military presence there, built airstrips, and treated the islands as sovereign Iranian territory. The UAE, meanwhile, has spent the last fifty-plus years protesting this at the UN, in the Arab League, and basically any international forum that will listen.
Honestly, the legal history is a giant headache. The UAE argues that the Sheikh of Ras al-Khaimah had established rights over the islands for generations. Iran counters with historical maps from the Persian Empire, claiming the British "stole" the islands and gave them to the Arabs, and 1971 was just a "restoration" of what was always theirs.
Why the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are a Logistical Nightmare
If you were to land on Lesser Tunb today, you’d find almost nothing. It’s about 2 kilometers long. It’s rocky, barren, and mostly home to birds. Greater Tunb is slightly more "lively," if you can call it that. It has a small population of Iranian military personnel and their families, a lighthouse, and some basic infrastructure.
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But the real value is underwater.
The maritime boundaries around these islands dictate who can drill for oil and who can fish. Because the Gulf is relatively narrow, every island creates a "shelf" of economic control. When you add the Tunbs to Abu Musa (another disputed island nearby), Iran effectively pushes its maritime border much further south than it would otherwise be. This creates a constant friction point with tankers passing through.
The View from Tehran
For Iran, the Tunbs are a matter of national pride and "defensive depth." They see the presence of Western navies in the Gulf as a threat. By holding these islands, they create a defensive line. They aren't going to give them up. Not now, and probably not ever. They view the UAE's claims as being pushed by external powers—specifically the U.S.—to undermine Iranian influence.
The View from Abu Dhabi
The UAE sees this as a clear-cut case of occupation. They’ve repeatedly offered to take the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Iran refuses. Usually, when one side refuses to go to court, the other side assumes it’s because their legal case is weak. The UAE has used its growing diplomatic weight to get "the three islands" mentioned in almost every joint statement they sign with world powers, from Russia to China.
The China and Russia Factor
Here is where it gets really spicy. Recently, both Russia and China—traditionally allies or at least close partners of Iran—have signed statements supporting the UAE’s call for a "peaceful resolution" or "negotiations" over the islands.
Iran went ballistic.
They summoned the Russian ambassador. They complained to the Chinese. For Iran, even suggesting that the ownership of the Greater and Lesser Tunbs is "negotiable" is a betrayal. This shows how high the stakes are. Even Iran’s biggest trade partners have to walk a tightrope because the UAE is such a massive economic hub that nobody wants to offend them either.
Misconceptions You Should Probably Forget
People often think these islands are just about oil. That's a bit of a simplification. While there are potential reserves, the primary issue is Prestige and Precedent.
- It's not just a "desert island" problem. If Iran gives up the Tunbs, what happens to Abu Musa? What happens to other maritime disputes?
- The British aren't the good guys here. Most historians agree the British "Exit Strategy" in 1971 was incredibly messy. They essentially left the door open for the conflict to happen so they could exit the region faster.
- It’s not just an "Arab vs. Persian" thing. While that’s the easy narrative, it’s actually a very specific legal dispute about deeds, maps from the 1800s, and administrative records from the British Raj.
What Happens Next?
Don't expect a war over these rocks. Neither side wants that. The UAE is a global tourism and finance hub; a war would ruin their economy overnight. Iran is already under heavy sanctions and doesn't need another military front.
Instead, expect "Diplomatic Grinding."
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The UAE will continue to use its "Soft Power" to isolate Iran on this issue. Iran will continue to build bunkers and docks on the islands to make their presence an "unalterable fact on the ground." It’s a stalemate. A very long, very expensive, and very quiet stalemate.
Actionable Insights for Following the Dispute
If you’re tracking this for business, travel, or just general interest, here’s how to stay informed without getting lost in the propaganda:
- Watch the Joint Statements: Pay attention when the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) meets with groups like the EU or ASEAN. If the islands are mentioned, it means the UAE’s diplomatic pressure is working.
- Monitor Maritime Alerts: Use services like MarineTraffic to see how shipping lanes are managed around the Tunbs. Changes in traffic patterns often signal increased military tension.
- Look at the Map Silently: Notice that the Tunbs are closer to the UAE coast than they are to the main Iranian landmass. Geography is the UAE's strongest argument; "Effective Control" is Iran's.
- Ignore the Rhetoric: Both sides use very aggressive language for domestic audiences. Focus on the actual legal filings at the UN to see the real shifts in policy.
The Greater and Lesser Tunbs might be small, but they are a perfect case study in how the end of colonialism still haunts modern borders. As long as oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, these islands will remain some of the most contested real estate on the planet.