International Law Review

International Law Review

Book Review of Davoud Hermidas Bavand, Historical, Political, and Legal Foundations of Iran’s Sovereignty over the Islands of Tunb and Abu Musa ( (Tehran: Ganj-e-Danesh Publication, 1998)

Document Type : Book Review

Authors
Mousa Karami 1
Sattar Azizi 2
1 Ph. D. in Public International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran
2 Professor of International Law, Law Department, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
10.22066/cilamag.2025.2055303.2701
Abstract
One of the most significant issues concerning territory in both international and domestic law is the question of islands. Islands, whether as subnational political units or as extensions of the mainland, give rise to various legal complexities. Among these, the issue of sovereignty over islands linked to the mainland remains a crucial topic in international law and politics. In recent years, some of the most notable territorial disputes have centered on sovereignty over islands between different States. A prominent example is the long-standing dispute between Iran and the United Arab Emirates over the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb, which, although rooted in the past, has entered a complex form between the two States since the early 1980s. This article aims to review one of the most reliable and authoritative books on Iran’s sovereignty over these islands in the Persian Gulf, titled Historical, Political, and Legal Foundations of Iran’s Sovereignty over the Islands of Tunb and Abu Musa, authored by the late Davoud Hermidas Bavand (1934–2023). Bavand was a distinguished Iranian diplomat and an expert in foreign policy and international law. The book was first published in English in 1994, followed by the first Persian translation by Bahman Aghaei, published by Ganj-e-Danesh Library Publishing in 1998. The following review is based on the first edition of the book.
Subjects

  • Receive Date 09 March 2025
  • Revise Date 02 May 2025
  • Accept Date 03 May 2025