GCC ministers yesterday emphasised the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, noting that free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation, including the right of transit passage as guaranteed under international law, remains essential to regional and global security.
They rejected any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control over the Strait, and welcomed Oman and International Maritime Organisation’s announcement on the launch of an evacuation plan for more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the region.
Their stance was highlighted at a Ministerial Meeting between the United States and the GCC in Manama, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who is also the current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council. Foreign ministers from GCC member states and Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi attended.
The ministers welcomed the June 17 memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the US and Iran and recognised the important mediation roles played by Pakistan and Qatar.
They stressed the need to maintain momentum and unity as negotiations proceed towards a more permanent end to hostilities and the shared objective of preventing Iran from ever developing or otherwise acquiring a nuclear weapon. They further emphasised that lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and its support of proxies in the region.
Any trade and investment with Iran is conditional and reversible, contingent on Tehran’s compliance with the MOU and the final deal, cessation of its destabilising behaviour, and creation of the conditions necessary for economic engagement.
The ministers expressed support for the Syrian people in building a stable, peaceful, inclusive and sovereign country fully integrated into the region and reaffirmed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. They decided to continue working with, and providing assistance to, the Syrian government to address key challenges such as countering terrorism, restoring basic services, improving its investment climate, and enabling the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced people.
The ministers welcomed ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the US, aimed at creating the conditions for a lasting peace and security agreement between the countries. In that respect, they emphasised the importance of maintaining a negotiation process, which is not conditional on the outcomes of other conflicts.
They stressed that full Lebanese sovereignty cannot be achieved while non-state armed groups maintain military capabilities and called for the full disarmament of such groups and the restoration of the Lebanese state’s monopoly of force, while recognizing the importance of supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in doing so.
The ministers reaffirmed their support for President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, endorsed in UN Security Council resolution 2803.
Secretary Rubio welcomed the historic participation of GCC members in the Board of Peace and thanked them for their commitments to advance reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
The meeting stressed the importance of the demilitarisation of all non-state armed groups to enable Gaza’s reconstruction and the need to hand over responsibility to an independent, technocratic civil Palestinian committee.
They commended President Trump’s statement that the United States opposes annexation of the West Bank and underscored that progress on Gaza redevelopment and Palestinian Authority reforms will create the conditions for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. The ministers further reaffirmed that no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to return.
The meeting condemned attacks by Iranian proxies in Iraq against GCC countries, including drone attacks damaging civilian facilities, critical infrastructure, and energy security. Ministers reiterated their support for Iraq’s new government’s efforts to restrict weapons to state control and prevent non-state armed groups from using Iraqi territory to threaten neighbouring countries.
They emphasised Kuwait’s sovereignty over its territorial waters and called on the government of Iraq to uphold its international commitments.
The government of Iraq was also urged to take all necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of all diplomatic missions in the country, and to protect them from any threats or attacks.
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