Gulf Cooperation Council Ministerial Council: Decisive decisions to deter Iranian aggression
The Ministerial Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) held its 50th extraordinary meeting on Sunday via video conference, chaired by Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain (current session chair), with the participation of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states, and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Council, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi. This emergency meeting was convened to discuss the serious developments and unprecedented military escalation in the region.
Details of the Iranian attacks and aggression
The meeting discussed at length the brutal Iranian attacks carried out using ballistic missiles and drones, which directly targeted the territories of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, and the State of Kuwait. This wave of aggression began on Saturday, February 28, 2026, and also extended to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in a dangerous escalation of the conflict.
The ministers reviewed the extent of the serious damage caused by these attacks, which deliberately targeted vital civilian facilities, service sites, and densely populated residential areas, resulting in significant material damage and spreading terror among the safe citizens and residents, in flagrant violation of all international norms and conventions.
Activating the joint defense agreement and the right of retaliation
In reaffirming Gulf unity, the Ministerial Council stressed that the security of the GCC states is indivisible, considering any attack on any member state as a direct attack on all member states. Based on the GCC Charter and the Joint Defense Agreement, the Council affirmed its full commitment to taking all necessary measures to protect Gulf national security.
The Council also affirmed that member states retain their legitimate and legal right to self-defense and to respond to threats, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, which guarantees states the right to individual and collective self-defense in the event of armed aggression. The Council indicated that this escalation necessitates taking decisive steps to ensure the sovereignty of states and the protection of their people.
Regional and international repercussions and their impact on the global economy
The meeting addressed the strategic dimensions of this aggression, emphasizing that the stability of the Arabian Gulf region is not merely a regional matter, but a fundamental pillar of international peace and security and the stability of the global economy. The Council warned that the continuation of these hostile acts directly threatens maritime navigation and global supply chains, potentially leading to severe disruptions in global energy markets, given the region's significant role in oil and gas production and exports.
The Council called on the international community and the Security Council to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and to take immediate action to stop these violations that endanger the lives of civilians and threaten to drag the region into disastrous and undesirable paths.
From diplomacy to deterrence
The Council expressed its regret at the Iranian regime's failure to respond to the repeated diplomatic efforts undertaken by the GCC states, particularly the commendable efforts of the Sultanate of Oman, to de-escalate tensions and adopt dialogue. The ministers affirmed that the Gulf states have always been and remain advocates of peace and good neighborliness, but that Iran's continued hostile approach and use of its territory to launch military attacks undermines the prospects for a political solution and imposes a new reality that requires a firm and decisive response.
In closing, the Council commended the efficiency and readiness of the armed forces and air defense systems of the member states that bravely countered the attacks, expressing its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
