A dispute has been closed as the state of the Falkland Islands "rests firmly with the UK," according to a report made by the US to determine where the sovereignty of the islands lies.

An internal Pentagon email has shown that the USA was considering punishing NATO allies due to their refusal to help in the war against Iran. The email also mentioned expelling Spain from NATO for its condemnation of the United States over the war. 

A Pentagon spokesperson was questioned on the email but refused to comment, instead stating that it would "ensure that the president has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part", and also adding "As President [Donald] Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our Nato allies, they were not there for us."

This is not the first time the Falkland Islands have been placed into controversy. The United Kingdom and Argentina previously fought over these islands off the coast of Argentina in a 2-month war in 1982. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's residence mentioned that "The Falkland Islands have previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory, and we've always stood behind the islanders' right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK." He then followed by highlighting that they have "expressed this position previously clearly and consistently to successive US administrations and nothing is going to change that."

Map of South America with the Falkland Islands highlighted | Source: BBC News
 

The former Labour Security Minister, Lord West, went on BBC Radio 4 to say the leak was "quite extraordinary" and showed "a lack of understanding." He then proceeded to call the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth "thick" and accused him of failing to understand how NATO works. 

We are yet to hear a formal statement from the White House in the United States, however, Trump has previously been unhappy with the level of support offered by the UK during the war against Iran, and this dispute may lead to further tensions between the two countries. 

Seagulls resting on the Falkland Islands | Source: Swoop Antarctica