Other Names: n/a
Location: 25052'30''N 55001'48''E. Located in the Strait of Hormuz in the mouth of the Persian Gulf, halfway between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Website: n/a
Phone Number: n/a
Subordinate to: Disputed territory that is jointly administered by Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Size: Only a few square miles.
Primary Function: Serves as a forward location for the Iranian military, which claims control over the island.

History: Iran has claimed its authority over the island since 1971 and asserted a physical presence since 1992. In 1992, the dispute over Abu Musa became more acute when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island. Tehran subsequently backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region, but in 1994 it increased its military presence on the disputed islands.

Activities: Although Abu Musa island is not a CW facility per se, there have been reports that during a period of tension between Iraq and Iran, Iran deployed CW munitions on the island. The New York Times reported in late March 1995 that, according to administration officials, Iran's military deployment on disputed islands in the Gulf included chemical weapons. Jane's Defense Weekly also reported in April 1995 that US Defense Secretary William Perry revealed that Iran had placed chemical weapons on disputed islands in the Persian Gulf. According to Pentagon officials, the weapons deployed on Abu Musa island were mostly 155mm artillery shells. The Journal of Commerce also reported that Secretary Perry said that Iran had deployed "...6,000 troops, chemical weapons, and anti-ship missiles to unmanned islands in the Strait of Hormuz." Finally, according to a study by the National Defense University from April 1997, "The United States believes that Iran has some weaponized biological weapons and a large chemical weapons stockpile, some of which are deployed on Abu Musa island in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz."

Key Sources: Federation of American Scientists, <http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/facility/abu-musa.htm>; Douglas Jehl, "U.S. Says It's Worried About Iranian Military Buildup in Gulf," New York Times, 23 March 1995, p. A9; Barbara Starr, "CW Stockpile 'a Threat to Straits of Hormuz'," Jane's Defense Weekly, 1 April 1995, p. 3; Lisa Burgess and Janet Porter, "Iran's Arming of Islands Fails to Upset Markets," Journal of Commerce, (24 March 1995), p. 1B; Paula DeSutter, "Deterring Iranian NBC Use," Strategic Forum 110, National Defense University, April 1997, p. 3; American University, <http://www.american.edu/ted/ABUMUSA.HTM>.

	Updated September 2003