During His High-Level Briefing at the Security Council, HE the GCCSG Calls on the Council to Take All Measures to Ensure the Immediate Cessation of Treacherous Iranian Aggressions Against GCC States
General Secretariat – New York State.
His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), called on the Security Council to take all necessary measures to ensure the immediate cessation of Iranian aggressions against the Council states. He further urged the Council to take all actions to protect waterways and guarantee the continuity of international navigation across all maritime straits, while emphasising the necessity of involving the GCC states in any negotiations or agreements with the Iranian side. "This inclusion is vital to enhancing regional security and stability and ensuring that such attacks are never repeated," His Excellency stated.
These remarks were made during His Excellency’s delivery of a High-Level Briefing regarding cooperation between the United Nations (UN) and the GCC, held under the agenda item "Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organisations in maintaining international peace and security," on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the UN Headquarters in New York, with the participation of Their Excellencies the members of the Security Council.
At the beginning of the briefing, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi expressed his sincere thanks and profound gratitude to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the invitation to participate in providing the high-level briefing on cooperation between the UN and the GCC, held under the agenda item "Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organisations in maintaining international peace and security."
His Excellency remarked that while this briefing was originally intended to highlight the GCC and its regional and international relations, the ongoing aggression launched by Iran against the Council states has prevented it from being delivered as scheduled. He stated that since February 28, 2026, and continuing to the present day, the GCC states have been subjected to sinful Iranian aggression and attacks utilising ballistic missiles and armed drones.
"These attacks have targeted civilian and vital infrastructure, including civilian airports, oil facilities, desalination plants, ports, fuel storage tanks, service utilities, residential and commercial areas, and the headquarters of diplomatic missions. This has resulted in casualties and injuries among both civilians and military personnel, significant material damage, and a direct threat to the security, safety, and lives of citizens and residents therein," His Excellency said.
In this context, His Excellency renewed the Council’s condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the treacherous Iranian attacks, which represent a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Council states and the principles of good neighbourliness, as well as a clear contravention of international law and the Charter of the UN. He further stated that the targeting of civilians and civilian objects constitutes a grave breach of the rules of International Humanitarian Law, emphasising that the GCC considers these actions unjustifiable under any circumstances.
His Excellency also underscored the GCC’s position on the necessity of an immediate cessation of these attacks to restore security, peace, and stability to the region, highlighting the vital importance of maintaining air and maritime security, safeguarding waterways and supply chain integrity, and ensuring the stability of global energy markets.
Furthermore, His Excellency reaffirmed the GCC’s welcome of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemned these attacks and demanded their halt, while underlining the significance of its full implementation and the necessity of taking all measures to ensure compliance and prevent recurrence to protect regional and international peace and security.
While affirming that the GCC states maintain their inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter—and will take all necessary measures to protect their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of their citizens and residents—His Excellency emphasised the Council states firm commitment to avoiding any slide toward an escalation that serves no one.
"The Council states do not call for war, but rather demand the peace and stability that all peoples deserve, maintaining that dialogue and diplomacy remain the optimal path for addressing crises, whereas continued escalation would only undermine regional security and lead to grave consequences for international peace and security," His Excellency explained.
His Excellency clarified that the destabilising Iranian behaviour in the Arabian Gulf has crossed all red lines, as Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, prevented the passage of commercial vessels and oil tankers, and imposed fees on some for transit through the strait.
"Additionally, the scope of the conflict has widened with the Houthi group's threats to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which constitutes a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The damages resulting from the suspension of navigation are not confined to the borders of the GCC states but extend to many countries worldwide, which are now suffering from shortages in their requirements of oil, gas, and their derivatives, including fertilisers and petrochemicals," His Excellency pointed out, calling on the Security Council to assume its full responsibilities and take all measures to ensure the protection of waterways and the continuity of international navigation with security and safety.
"Therefore, the GCC underlines the vital importance of the Security Council adopting a resolution that authorises the use of all available and necessary means to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, halt attacks on vessels, and ensure freedom of passage, as well as demands that Iran cease its attacks on ships and marine tankers in order to reach a sustainable solution for the security of this critical shipping lane," His Excellency stressed.
His Excellency further underscored the desire of the GCC states to establish normal links with the Islamic Republic of Iran and to work toward addressing all security concerns of the Council states with full transparency. This includes the Iranian nuclear programme and the three occupied United Arab Emirates (UAE) islands, which requires the Iranian side to take several steps to demonstrate good faith, notably a commitment to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states and the cessation of destabilising activities in the region and support for armed militias.
In the context of the relationship between the UN and the GCC, His Excellency noted that while this marks the first time the Cooperation Council has addressed the Security Council, it is not the first time it has upheld its international responsibilities.
"For decades, the GCC members states have been reliable political, humanitarian, and economic partners of the UN, contributing to its programmes and seeking to enhance stability in various regions worldwide. Chapter VIII of the UN Charter stipulates that regional organisations are essential partners in the collective security system. In this regard, the GCC approved its +Vision for Regional Security+ in March 2024, a significant document aimed at ensuring security and stability in the region and the world at large," His Excellency said.
He pointed out that the roots of the relationship between the GCC and the UN stretch back to the Council's founding in 1981.
"This partnership has deepened over decades within an integrated system of institutional cooperation mechanisms, evidenced by the conclusion of Memoranda of Understanding with numerous UN agencies and specialized organisations. These agreements have established firm frameworks for regular consultation, information exchange, and coordination, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of joint responses to regional and international challenges. A prominent milestone in the Council’s journey of regional and international cooperation was the UN General Assembly's adoption of Resolution 79/295 regarding +Cooperation between the UN and the GCC+, which inaugurated a new phase of strategic partnership. This coordination serves as a fundamental pillar in managing regional crises, as it combines the international legitimacy represented by the UN with the GCC's profound understanding of regional complexities, ultimately bolstering the effectiveness of international responses and contributing to crisis containment," His Excellency detailed.
His Excellency noted that the GCC has never been a party to crises, but rather a partner in solutions founded on dialogue and diplomacy. "It has consistently supported paths toward stability across numerous regional files and maintained coordination with the UN and its international partners in addressing crises and enhancing regional and international security. The Council embodies a steadfast model of regional action based on integration, utilising accumulated expertise to support stability and promote dialogue and reconciliation, in addition to its extensive humanitarian and developmental efforts aimed at supporting stability among various parties.
Besides, His Excellency pointed to the Council's efforts in Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria, affirming that the Palestinian cause remains the Council’s primary concern. He highlighted the extensive efforts of the GCC states to support this cause at all levels, specifically noting the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its chairmanship of the Arab and Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza—formed by the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit—to halt the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
He also lauded Saudi Arabia's leadership of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which culminated in the endorsement of the "New York Declaration" and its adoption by a UN General Assembly resolution in September 2025.
"This is alongside the tireless mediation efforts of the State of Qatar, in collaboration with regional and international partners, to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and detainees, and the delivery of comprehensive humanitarian aid to civilians," His Excellency outlined, praising the diverse and ongoing GCC efforts to provide aid to the Palestinian people, despite the challenging circumstances currently facing the region.
Regarding the Yemeni file, His Excellency clarified that the GCC continues its firm backing for the efforts of the UN and its Special Envoy for the brotherly Republic of Yemen, within the framework of seeking a comprehensive and just political solution that achieves security and stability in Yemen as well as safeguards its sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and independence.
"This must be achieved through the three references: the GCC Initiative and its Executive Mechanism, the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216, as these constitute the unifying frameworks upon which any permanent political solution must be based. Additionally, the Council states—through their development funds and the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Programme for Yemen (SDRPY) alongside the UN Development Programme (UNDP)—have led humanitarian and developmental aid efforts in Yemen," His Excellency explained.
In Lebanese affairs, His Excellency stated that the Council states have led tireless efforts to support Lebanon's sovereignty and have called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, underlining the necessity for Israel to respect Lebanese borders and for the Lebanese government to extend its control over all its territory, with arms restricted solely to the state. He observed that we are currently witnessing attacks by the Israeli occupation forces that violate Lebanese sovereignty, which have resulted in more than a thousand civilian deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of over one million residents from southern Lebanon—representing 20% of the total population. "These attacks have also led to the destruction of infrastructure, health, and civilian facilities, in addition to the assaults faced by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)," His Excellency added.
Regarding the Syrian file, His Excellency clarified that the Council states have led tireless efforts to pave the way toward Syria's stability and its reintegration into its Arab and international surroundings, reflecting their commitment to Syria's unity and sovereignty and the creation of a conducive environment to restore its internal security and revitalise its national economy. "The GCC states played a significant role in the lifting of international sanctions imposed on Syria and have provided humanitarian and developmental aid to rebuild infrastructure in the electricity and energy sectors and support Syrian state institutions," His Excellency revealed.
His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi also pointed out that the development funds within the Council states have contributed by providing loans and developmental assistance that reached countries across the globe in the fields of infrastructure as well as health and social services. He highlighted that the member states supported recovery and reconstruction programmes through international financing institutions, pointing to the significance of the GCC's humanitarian role.
"In recent years, specifically between 2020 and 2025, total humanitarian aid exceeded $14 billion, positioning the GCC states as a group as the fourth largest humanitarian donor globally. The GCC states have also actively contributed to sustainable peace, conflict prevention, and the support of women and youth, while striving to ensure food and environmental security alongside consolidating the culture of dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence," His Excellency affirmed, adding: "This commitment is evidenced by the success of the Kingdom of Bahrain in March 2025 in securing a UN General Assembly resolution designating January 28th of each year as the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence. Additionally, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva unanimously adopted a resolution in October 2025, submitted by the State of Qatar, titled +Promotion and Protection of Human Rights for Women and Children in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations+, which was followed by the State of Qatar hosting the World Summit for Social Development in November 2025. In the sphere of humanitarian aid, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE rank sixth and eighth, respectively, among international humanitarian donors according to the 2024 Financial Tracking Service (FTS) of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"Regarding efforts to ensure food security, the State of Kuwait—through its developmental arm, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development—finances hundreds of projects that contribute to addressing global food security risks. As for efforts to achieve peace and security, the Sultanate of Oman represents a prominent model in this field as a trusted regional and international mediator, having exerted numerous efforts to achieve reconciliations between various parties in the region, with its recent mediation efforts between the United States and Iran serving as a prime example," His Excellency elaborated.
His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi expressed the pride and honour felt by the citizens of the GCC states regarding the high standing their countries have attained within the global economy and development indicators. He emphasised that the GCC serves as a fundamental pillar of the global economy, particularly noting that the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Council states reached $2.3 trillion in 2024. "The GCC states produce 16 million barrels of crude oil per day, which accounts for 22% of total global production, and they contribute 27% of global crude oil exports, totaling 11.5 million barrels per day. Moreover, the GCC countries hold 33% of the world's oil reserves—approximately 512 billion barrels—and 21% of global natural gas reserves, amounting to 44 trillion cubic meters. The Council's annual natural gas production stands at 442 billion cubic meters, representing 10% of total global output," His Excellency explained.
He pointed out that these indicators highlight the pivotal position of the Council states within the international energy system and underscore that any disruption within this region reflects directly on global markets.
"This has become starkly evident at present, as navigation in the Strait of Hormuz has been impacted by current events, resulting in a surge in oil prices and an increase in shipping and maritime insurance costs. These developments pose a significant threat to energy security and global economic stability. Such data reaffirms that the stability of the Arabian Gulf is not merely a regional matter, but an utmost international necessity to maintain the momentum of the global economy and avoid an energy crisis that could lead to a global recession," His Excellency stressed.
His Excellency concluded the briefing by emphasising that "we are not facing a transient crisis, but rather a true test of the credibility of the international system; either collective security is genuinely upheld, or it is left to the equations of power alone. We in the GCC are advocates of stability and partners in responsibility; we extend our hand in peace, yet we do not accept any compromise regarding our security or any infringement upon our territorial sovereignty. We refuse to allow our regional stability to be held hostage to chaos or the global economy to become a prisoner to threats against waterways. Despite all challenges, the Arabian Gulf must remain a zone of stability rather than an arena for conflict—a proactive partner in security, not a burden upon it."