page_title: Seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs
section_title: Operation
hierarchical_section_title: Seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs / Operation
caption_attribution_description: English: Sheik Saghar, brother of Sharjah Sheik at Iran's Artmis Navy Ship, welcoming Iranian officials to Abu Musa
context_page_description: The Seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs describes the Iranian takeover of Abu Musa and the Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb islands in 30 November 1971, when British forces withdrew from the islands in the Strait of Hormuz. After the British forces had withdrawn, the Imperial Iranian Navy took territorial control of the islands.
context_section_description: At dawn on November 29, 1971, helicopters circled the island and dropped leaflets, written in Persian, telling residents who were mostly farmers and fishermen to surrender. In the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, Ras Al Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who did not have a signed agreement with Iran, resisted the Iranian troops that were sent to the Tunbs. 
  At 5:30 pm on 29 November 1971, a contingent of the Iranian army supported by the naval forces occupied the islands of the Lesser and Greater Tunbs. In the Greater Tunb, the Iranians ordered the policemen stationed to lower the flag. Salem Suhail bin Khamis, one of the six policemen stationed refused to comply and was shot and killed. Policemen in the Greater Tunb clashed with the Iranian troops and on the ensuing skirmish four Ras Al Khaimah policemen and three Iranian soldiers were killed. The Iranian troops then demolished the police station, the school, and number houses, and forced the natives to leave the Island. The body of the deceased were buried in the island and the residents were put on fishing boats and expelled to Ras Al Khaimah. The Imperial Iranian Navy seized the islands under small resistance of the tiny Arab police force stationed in there. The population of the Greater Tunb in 1971 was 150. According to author Richard N. Schofield, a source state that 120 Arab civilian population of Greater Tunb was then deported, but according to other reports the island had already been uninhabited for some time earlier. The death of the 20 year-old Bin Khamis marks as the date of the first martyr in the United Arab Emirates and November 30 is celebrated as the Commemoration Day in the United Arab Emirates.
  On 30 November 1971 an Iranian contingent landed on Abu Musa in order to occupy the part of the island alluded to in the memorandum of understanding with Sharjah. It was led by the Commandant of the navy who was received by the deputy ruler of Sharjah and some aides. The ruler of Sharjah was forced to agree to negotiate since he had no other feasible option. He either had to negotiate in order to save part of the territory or forego the restoration of the remaining part of the island for good. On the same day Iranian Prime Minister officially broke the news of the seizure of the islands of Lesser and Greater tunbs and the partial occupation of Abu Musa and stated that the Iranian flag had been hoisted on the tip of Haifa mountain, the highest point in Abu Musa. He said Iran's sovereignty of the Islands was restored following prolonged talks with the British government and declared that Iran would not abandon its sovereignty over the whole of Abu Musa and accordingly, the presence of local officials in certain parts of the island was in contraindication of Iran's sovereignty over the whole island.
caption: Sheikh Saqr, the brother of the ruler of Sharjah, welcoming Iranian troops abroad Iran's Artemis navy ship, to Abu Musa, 1971
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