Iran Claims Rights to South Pole, Seeks Military Base There

Iran is claiming territorial rights to the South Pole, including plans to build a military base there, which would be in violation of an international treaty.

Rear Adm. Shahram Irani, commander of Iran's Navy, said his country has property rights to the South Pole and pledges to raise the Iranian flag there. His comments were revealed in an interview on Iranian TV station Channel 1 in September and translated by the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute.

"With regard to the South Pole, as you know ... the beautiful beaches of Makran connect us to the South Pole, we have property rights there, and they belong to the public," Irani said. "Our plan is to raise the flag there, inshallah [if Allah wills it]."

Irani said the base would be a joint operation between the military and scientists.

"It is not only military work but also scientific work that needs to be carried out," he said. "Our scientists are getting ready for a joint operation, encompassing the efforts of all our people, in keeping with the guidelines of our Leader, inshallah."

When asked if he is promising Iran will build a permanent base in the South Pole, he replied, "inshallah, inshallah."

A total of 56 countries are part of the Antarctic Treaty, which took effect in 1961, including the U.S., Russia, and China, but not Iran.

Article IV of the treaty states, "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting, or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force."

Seven of the original 12 parties to the treaty — Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom — had territorial claims, sometimes overlapping, but other countries do not recognize them, according to the treaty. The U.S. and Russia maintain a "basis of claim," but all positions are protected in Article IV.

Newsmax reached out to Iran's Foreign Ministry and the State Department for comment.

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