The foreign ministers of five Gulf states called on Thursday for calm amid escalating US-Iranian tensions that have led to attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain.
This came during telephone calls between Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A call also took place between the Saudi Foreign Minister and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, according to statements from the Qatari and Kuwaiti Foreign Ministries.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said that Mohammed bin Abdulrahman received a call from Abdullah bin Zayed, during which they reviewed “the latest developments in the military escalation between the United States and Iran during the last two days.”
For the second day, the United States launched military attacks on Iran on Thursday in response to its targeting of ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy supplies.
Tehran responded, for the second day, by targeting what it said were military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman expressed “Qatar’s condemnation and rejection of the attacks that targeted commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the atmosphere of calm and the efforts made to reduce escalation in the region.”
Iran insists on the necessity of coordinating with it before any ship crosses the strait, and refuses to pass through any route in Hormuz other than the one it has specified.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding and began negotiations whose fate remains uncertain in light of the current military confrontation.
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman warned that Iran’s attacks “would undermine confidence, threaten international navigation security, and harm efforts to consolidate regional security and stability.”
On February 28, the United States and Israel began a war against Iran, and the latter responded by launching attacks on Israel and what it said were American bases and interests in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) comprises six countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman stressed the need for all parties to commit to dialogue and diplomacy, and to implement what was agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding, in order to contribute to maintaining the security of the region.
He made two phone calls to his Omani and Saudi counterparts, during which he reiterated the same position he had expressed to his Emirati counterpart, according to two statements from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister received a phone call from his Saudi counterpart, during which they discussed the latest developments in the region, particularly the current escalation and its repercussions.
They also discussed “efforts to reduce escalation, contain tension, and promote diplomatic solutions, in order to contribute to maintaining regional security and stability,” according to the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry.
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