Manama (UNA/SPA) – The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Mr. Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, praised the high level of coordination among the GCC countries in dealing with the repercussions of the Iranian attacks, through holding more than 150 meetings at all ministerial and technical levels, to ensure continuous communication, exchange of information, and facilitate procedures, in addition to enhancing the resilience of supply chains and the flow of goods, and intensifying diplomatic moves with international and regional countries and blocs, which reflected the unity of the Gulf position and the firm stance and unwavering will to preserve the security and stability of our countries, and to continue the constructive path in achieving Gulf integration.
This came during a speech at the 167th Ministerial Council meeting of the Cooperation Council, held yesterday, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Chairman of the current session of the Ministerial Council, Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and attended by Their Highnesses, Excellencies and Highnesses the Foreign Ministers of the Cooperation Council countries.
During his speech, he pointed out that since the beginning of February 28, 2026, until today, the GCC countries have been subjected to heinous Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure and vital civilian facilities. The latest of these were the Iranian terrorist attacks that targeted the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait today, in flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the GCC countries and the principles of good neighborliness, and a serious breach of international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations.
He expressed his thanks and appreciation for the pivotal role of the ministerial and technical committees and working groups, which took immediate action and effective coordination to address its repercussions.
In a related context, he praised the efficiency and readiness of the armed forces of the GCC countries, which professionally and competently countered more than seven thousand ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran towards the GCC countries, and contributed to neutralizing the threat and protecting lives, facilities and vital assets. He explained that despite the seriousness of these attacks, the GCC countries chose restraint and wisdom, keen to avoid sliding into spirals of escalation with dire consequences. He called on Iran to stop all attacks on the GCC countries, respect their sovereignty, not interfere in their internal affairs, abide by international law and the Charter of the United Nations, cease destabilizing activities, and ensure the success of de-escalation efforts and initiatives.
His Excellency the Secretary-General stated that, continuing this destabilizing behavior, we have witnessed another dangerous escalation, represented by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of navigation in it, in a clear violation of the right of states to passage and navigation, guaranteed under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. He pointed out the importance of the security of the GCC countries in the stability of energy, supply chains and the global economy, calling for the immediate opening of the strait and the return of navigation in it to its previous normality, stressing the importance of returning to the path of dialogue and diplomacy to overcome the current crisis.
He noted Security Council Resolution No. (2817) of 2026, which strongly condemned the Iranian attacks on the GCC countries and affirmed their inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article (51) of the Charter of the United Nations, indicating that the GCC countries had made strenuous efforts prior to these attacks to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran, through high-level contacts and mediation efforts undertaken by the Sultanate of Oman, but all of this did not prevent Iran and its proxies in the region from launching their attacks on the GCC countries.
He affirmed the full solidarity of the peoples of the GCC countries and their united stand to confront these attacks, and that the security of their countries is indivisible, and any attack on any member state is a direct attack on all GCC countries, in accordance with the Joint Defense Agreement, and the GCC countries reserve their legal right to respond, in accordance with Article (51) of the Charter of the United Nations, which guarantees the right to self-defense individually and collectively.
The Secretary-General stated that, in the context of following up on the outcomes of the nineteenth consultative meeting of the leaders of the GCC countries - may God protect and preserve them - held in Jeddah on April 28, 2026, work is underway to implement the high directives, as a high committee of senior officials in the General Secretariat has been formed, which is working on translating these directives into actionable plans and programs, and detailed reports of its results will be submitted to the next session of the Supreme Council.
In concluding his speech, he indicated that the agenda of the 167th Ministerial Council meeting of the Cooperation Council includes a number of topics in many fields, and a report on the progress of negotiations on free trade agreements. His Excellency congratulated Their Highnesses, Excellencies, and Highnesses the Foreign Ministers of the GCC countries on the signing of the joint statement to conclude the negotiations on the free trade agreement between the Cooperation Council and the United Kingdom, and expressed thanks and appreciation to the members of the working groups from the GCC countries and the General Secretariat, who contributed greatly and valuablely to the completion of this work, which adds to our Gulf achievements.
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