DUBAI(RAHNUMA): The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Thursday accused Iran of driving regional escalation and called for an immediate halt to attacks targeting energy infrastructure across the Gulf, while urging that Gulf states be included in any diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.
In a series of statements, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said Iran was responsible for the latest escalation and warned that its actions posed a direct threat to regional stability.
He said Iranian attacks had targeted oil refineries in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait, describing the strikes as “systematic” and aimed at critical energy facilities.
“We emphasize the necessity of involving the GCC countries in any talks or agreements to resolve this crisis, in a way that contributes to strengthening their security and stability,” Al-Budaiwi said in a televised speech, adding that while Gulf states have the right to self-defence, they favour diplomacy.
“The international community must send a unified message to Iran to stop its attacks,” he said, urging coordinated global pressure to prevent further escalation.
The Secretary-General also rejected any post-conflict arrangements that would seek to redraw the map of the region, warning against attempts to alter geopolitical boundaries once the crisis subsides.
Al-Budaiwi further accused Iran of demanding payments from vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane through which a significant share of the world’s oil supplies passes.
The GCC chief is the first senior regional official to publicly make such an accusation.
Al-Budaiwi, who oversees the six-member bloc comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, made the remarks during a news conference in Riyadh.
