Abu Dhabi ( CNN ) -- The UAE recalled its ambassador to Iran on Thursday in protest of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a disputed island . Abu Mousa is one of three Persian Gulf islands that are the subject of a longtime border dispute between the two countries . The UAE 's Foreign Ministry said it was summoning Tehran envoy Saif Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi for consultations . The move comes a day after Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed condemned Ahmadinejad 's visit to Abu Mousa `` in the strongest possible terms , '' according to a report by state news agency WAM . The UAE says Iran has illegally occupied Abu Mousa since 1971 . The two other disputed islands are the Greater and Lesser Tunbs . The foreign minister described the visit as a `` flagrant violation '' of UAE sovereignty and said it was a setback to efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the issue , WAM reported . Ahmadinejad used his visit to Abu Mousa to comment on the historical basis for the Persian Gulf 's name , according to Iranian state news agency IRNA . Arab states refer to the body of water as the Arabian Gulf . Iran views the islands as part of its territory . CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report .
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the disputed island of Abu Mousa . The visit was part of an official tour to promote Iran's nuclear program and its role in world affairs. The UAE and Iran are involved in a long-running dispute over three Persian Gulf islands .