Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim al-Budaiwi delivered a sharp rebuke of Iranian attacks in the Middle East on Wednesday, telling the UN Security Council that the latest wave of ballistic missile and drone strikes has endangered civilian infrastructure across GCC states and Jordan and demanded a firmer international response.
The briefing marked the first time a GCC secretary-general addressed the council, underscoring the bloc’s growing role in shaping the regional security agenda.
Al-Budaiwi said the strikes had hit airports, oil installations, ports and residential areas, calling them a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty and international law. He argued that attacks on civilians and civilian assets cannot be justified under any circumstances, and said GCC states retain their right to self-defence under the UN Charter.
The secretary-general welcomed Security Council Resolution 2817, adopted on 11 March, which condemned the Iranian attacks and demanded their immediate cessation. He urged full implementation of the text to ensure accountability, warning that the council must not allow repeated violations to become normalised.
Al-Budaiwi also broadened the warning beyond the region, saying instability in the Gulf has direct consequences for maritime routes, energy supplies and global trade. Security Council reporting on the April agenda noted that the GCC has pressed the council to act on attacks that threaten navigation and the flow of oil, gas, fertilisers and petrochemicals worldwide.
Qatar featured prominently in the wider GCC message to the United Nations. On March 12, Qatar’s permanent representative, HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, joined a GCC media stand at the UN backing the draft resolution condemning Iranian attacks and reaffirming Qatar’s right to respond in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
That message echoed Doha’s continuing diplomatic profile in regional crises. The GCC has also publicly backed Qatar’s mediation efforts on Gaza, including coordination with Egypt and the United States to secure a ceasefire and facilitate aid deliveries.
Al-Budaiwi used the council session to cast GCC-UN co-operation as a “new beginning,” highlighting nearly five decades of engagement on peace, security and development. He praised Saudi Arabia’s leadership on the Palestinian file, reaffirmed support for Yemen’s political process under UN auspices, and called for respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and Syria’s reconstruction.
He said GCC states contributed more than $14bn in humanitarian assistance between 2020 and 2025, and warned that any disruption in the Arabian Gulf immediately reverberates through global markets. “We stand at a crossroads,” he said, framing the choice as one between collective security and the rule of force.
