Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states condemned, in the final communiqué of the Gulf summit held in Makkah, attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militias against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, affirming that such terrorist acts represented a direct threat to peace and security in the region, the freedom of maritime navigation, international trade and the stability of oil markets.
The Supreme Council reviewed the critical circumstances and serious challenges facing the region as a result of the recent attacks on the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Council expresses solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the face of these terrorist threats aimed at provoking unrest in the region and reiterated support to all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security, stability and territorial integrity.
The GCC extraordinary session was held at an invitation of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and in participation of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates' Armed Forces; King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain; Shihab bin Tariq Al Saeed, Advisor to the Sultan of Oman; Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah Nasser Al Thani of the State of Qatar; Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of the State of Kuwait, and Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States.
The GCC leaders lauded the leading role played by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques as well as his call to hold this extraordinary summit and the Arab and Islamic summits in order to unite ranks to face the challenges facing the region and maintain security and stability.
They also lauded the level of coordination and consultation with the United States of America and the US-GCC joint cooperation within the framework of the existing strategic partnership in order to achieve security and stability in the region. They reiterated their support for the US strategy towards Iran, including Iran nuclear program, ballistic missile program, Iran's activities to destabilize the region, its support for terrorism, and combating the hostile activities of Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Guards, Houthi, and other terrorist organizations.
The GCC final communique condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi terrorist militias through bomb-laden drones targeting two oil pump stations in Dawadmi and Afif provinces in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, affirming that these acts of terrorism pose a serious threat to the security of the region and the global economy. It also condemned the firing of ballistic missiles by the Houthi militias, totaling more than 225 missiles toward Saudi Arabia, including attacks on Makkah, and more than 155 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Furthermore, it denounced the sabotage acts on four civil commercial vessels in the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates, which affected UAE oil tanker, two Saudi tankers, and Norwegian oil tanker, considering it a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and safety of maritime navigation in this vital region of the world and negatively affects regional and international peace and security as well as stability of oil markets. The Council affirmed its solidarity with the UAE and its support for all measures taken by the UAE to protect its security, stability, and territorial integrity, calling upon the international community and the international maritime authorities to shoulder their responsibilities to prevent such acts of sabotage.
The Council emphasized the strength and coherence of the GCC and the unity of its ranks to confront these threats, and reviewed the GCC defense policy based on the principle of collective and integrated security for the purpose of defending the entity, fundamentals and interests of its countries, territories, airspace and territorial waters, affirming the principles embraced by the GCC Joint Defense Agreement and the indivisible security of GCC States as a whole unit. The Council also asserted the contents of the principles of the Statute of the Cooperation Council and the decisions of the Supreme Council on integration and cooperation among the GCC States to maintain security, peace and stability in the GCC States.
As for relations with Iran, the GCC emphasized the stances taken by the Supreme Council and urged the Islamic republic to abide by the basic principles based on the Charter of the United Nations and the international laws, principles of good neighborliness, respect for the sovereignty of States, non-interference in internal affairs and non-use of force or threat. The Council restated that Iran must stop supporting, financing and arming terrorist militias and organizations as well as feeding sectarian conflicts, calling upon the Iranian regime to prevail wisdom, keep away from hostilities, and destabilizing security and stability. The Council called upon the international community to shoulder its responsibility to maintain international peace and security, take firm action against the Iranian regime, as well as more effective and serious steps to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear capability and put more stringent restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program.
The communique highlighted the need that Iran spares the region the dangers of war by abiding by the international laws and conventions, stops interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region, and stops supporting terrorist groups and militias threatening the security of maritime navigation.
Furthermore, the Council affirmed the GCC keenness to maintain stability, security, and peace in the region, the growth of the world economy, and the stability of oil markets.
Finally, the GCC Supreme Council expressed thanks and appreciation to King Salman and the Saudi government and people for the warm reception, good hospitality, and sincere brotherhood.
