Manama: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states and Jordan have condemned Iran's continued attacks on their territories, reaffirming their right to self-defence and calling on the UN Security Council to take urgent action. In a joint statement, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan highlighted the ongoing aggression that has persisted since February 28 and intensified despite a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran on June 17.
According to TRTworld.com, the statement emphasized that Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan have been particularly targeted, with attacks on energy facilities, desalination plants, ports, airports, and other civilian infrastructure. These actions were described as violations of the UN Charter, international law, international humanitarian law, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), as well as Iran's commitments under the memorandum.
The countries reaffirmed their right to individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, committing to all lawful measures necessary to protect their sovereignty, territories, citizens, commercial shipping, and critical infrastructure. They also welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's decision to bring all weapons under state control by September 30, supporting Baghdad's measures to prevent Iran-backed armed groups from launching further attacks.
The joint statement urged the UN Security Council to pass an urgent resolution demanding an immediate halt to Iranian attacks and recognizing the affected countries' right to self-defence, with additional measures considered if the attacks persist. The statement also praised the armed forces of the seven countries for defending their sovereignty and civilian populations and reiterated their commitment to the freedom and safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandeb Strait.
Furthermore, the countries expressed readiness to collaborate with regional states and the International Maritime Organisation to establish permanent maritime arrangements in line with international law and good-neighbourly relations. They also reaffirmed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, supporting its measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security, and commended Saudi Arabia and Oman for their diplomatic efforts to achieve a political solution to the crisis in Yemen.
