evidence: "The actions taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran with the aim of changing the legal, physical and demographic situation of the islands are null and void and have no legal effect whatsoever," he said, referring to Abu Musa, and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands. "Those Iranian actions also constitute a violation of international law, and the UN Charter. Therefore, the UAE demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran to enter into serious and direct negotiations between the two countries, or to refer the issue to the International Court of Justice in the light of its continuous illegal occupation of the three islands which are an integral part of the territorial sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates." Exercising his right of reply later today, Iran’s representative said the islands were an "eternal part" of Iranian territory and were under Iranian sovereignty, and any attempts to qualify that were wrong.