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A joint statement issued following ministerial consultations in Riyadh and distributed by Qatar News Agency condemned Iranian attacks on the territories, citizens and infrastructure of GCC countries and Jordan that began on February 28 2026 and intensified after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17. The text cited violations of the United Nations Charter, international humanitarian law, UN Security Council Resolution 2817 adopted on March 11 and the provisions of the recent MoU. According to the statement the participants expressed full solidarity with the affected states while praising the resilience of their armed forces and civilian populations in the face of repeated strikes on energy facilities, desalination plants, ports and airports.
The joint statement released by Qatar News Agency reaffirmed the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter as a legitimate response to the documented attacks. Ministers voiced support for Iraqi authorities in their effort to restrict all weapons to state control only by September 30 in order to curb destabilizing activities across the region. They called on the UN Security Council to pass an urgent resolution demanding an immediate end to the Iranian operations and explicitly recognizing the targeted states’ right to defend themselves.
Resolution 2817, which the United Nations reported was adopted by a vote of 13 in favor with two abstentions, had already condemned Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan while deploring the targeting of civilian objects and residential areas. The March resolution further demanded cessation of all provocations including the use of proxies and interference with maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. The latest ministerial statement builds on that framework by addressing the escalation that occurred after the June MoU.
Participants in the Riyadh consultations reiterated the strategic importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb open to international navigation, according to the text circulated by Qatar News Agency. They expressed particular solidarity with Saudi Arabia and endorsed Riyadh’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at stabilizing Yemen. The ministers emphasized that any attempt to obstruct lawful passage through these waterways constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security.
The joint statement noted that the Iranian actions breach multiple Security Council resolutions on Iran and undermine regional stability at a time when mediation efforts had sought to reduce tensions through dialogue. GCC officials and their Jordanian counterpart stressed the need for full compliance with international law to protect civilian lives and critical infrastructure across the affected countries. They highlighted the broad support the earlier UN resolution received from 135 co-sponsoring member states as evidence of global consensus against such aggression.
Qatar News Agency reported that the ministerial meeting brought together representatives from all six GCC states along with Jordan under the auspices of the GCC Ministerial Council and the Council of Foreign Ministers of the League of Arab States. The participants urged the international community to remain seized of the matter and to support practical measures that prevent further escalation. The statement concluded by underlining unified determination to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter.
