His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), praised the high level of coordination among the Council states in addressing the repercussions of the Iranian aggressions through holding more than 150 extraordinary meetings across all ministerial and technical levels.
His Excellency indicated that these sessions aimed to ensure continuous communication, information sharing, and the facilitation of procedures, alongside enhancing the resilience of supply chains and the flow of goods, as well as intensifying diplomatic actions with nations and international and regional blocs, which reflected the unity of the Gulf position, the firm stance, and the unwavering resolve to safeguard the security and stability of our states, and to continue the constructive march towards achieving Gulf integration.
These remarks came during His Excellency’s speech at the 167th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council, today, Wednesday (June 10, 2026), in Manama, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain, chaired by His Excellency Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and President of the current session of the Ministerial Council, and in the presence of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states.
At the outset of his speech, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General expressed his highest thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain and President of the current session of the Supreme Council, for the facilities and support the Kingdom of Bahrain has provided and continues to provide to ensure the success of the GCC’s work, and for the support and attention that joint Gulf action receives from His Majesty, as well as to Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Leaders of the Council states, across all fields.
“Since the beginning of the twenty-eighth of February 2026 until this day, the GCC states have been subjected to sinful Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure and vital civilian facilities, the latest of which were the terrorist Iranian attacks that targeted the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait this morning, in a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Council states and the principles of good neighbourliness, and a grave breach of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations (UN) Charter,” His Excellency stated, expressing his sincere condolences to the families of the righteous martyrs, both civilian and military, praying to Allah the Almighty to grant them His vast mercy, inspire their families with patience and solace, and bless the injured with a speedy and full recovery.
His Excellency also expressed his thanks and appreciation for the pivotal role of the ministerial and technical committees and working teams, which took immediate action and ensured effective coordination to address the repercussions of these attacks.
Moreover, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi commended the efficiency and readiness of the armed forces of the GCC states, which professionally and capably intercepted more than 7,000 ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran towards the GCC states, contributing to neutralising the threat and protecting lives, facilities and vital assets. “Despite the gravity of these attacks, the GCC states chose restraint and wisdom, out of keenness to avoid sliding into cycles of escalation with unforeseeable consequences,” His Excellency explained. He called on Iran to stop all attacks against the GCC states, respect their sovereignty, refrain from interfering in their internal affairs, comply with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, cease destabilising activities, and support de-escalation efforts and tracks.
“As a continuation of this destabilising conduct, the region witnessed another dangerous escalation represented by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of navigation through it, in a clear denial of states’ right of passage and navigation, guaranteed under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982,” His Excellency pointed out during his speech.
Furthermore, he noted that this is not only about the security of the GCC states, but also about energy security, supply chains and the stability of the global economy. “The stability of the Gulf region is not merely a regional interest, but a global necessity,” His Excellency underlined, calling for the immediate reopening of the Strait and the restoration of normal navigation, while affirming the significance of returning to the path of dialogue and diplomacy to overcome the current crisis.
Meanwhile, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi referred in his speech to UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026, which strongly condemned the Iranian attacks against the GCC states and affirmed their inherent right to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. He indicated that, prior to these attacks, the GCC states had exerted strenuous efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran through high-level communications and mediation efforts led by the Sultanate of Oman. “However, all of this did not prevent Iran and its proxies in the region from launching their attacks against the GCC states,” His Excellency added.
Besides, His Excellency underscored the full solidarity of the peoples of the GCC states and their united stand in confronting these attacks, stressing that the security of the GCC states is indivisible, and that any attack against any member state is a direct attack against all GCC states, in accordance with the Joint Defence Agreement. “The GCC states reserve their legal right to respond, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, which guarantees the right of individual and collective self-defence,” His Excellency emphasised.
“Within the framework of following up on the outcomes of the 19th Consultative Meeting of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Leaders of the GCC states, held in Jeddah on April 28, 2026, work is continuing to implement the directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses. A higher committee comprising senior officials from the General Secretariat has been formed to translate these directives into implementable plans and programmes, and detailed reports on its outcomes will be submitted to the next session of the Supreme Council,” His Excellency highlighted.
In conclusion, His Excellency explained that the agenda of the 167th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council includes a number of topics across various fields, as well as a report on the progress of negotiations for free trade agreements. He congratulated Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of the GCC states on the signing of the Joint Statement concluding the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the GCC and the United Kingdom (UK), and extended his thanks and appreciation to the members of the working teams from the GCC states and the General Secretariat, who contributed significantly and valuably to the completion of this achievement, which adds to the GCC’s gains.
