Iran Criticizes GCC and US Over Interventionist Statement

Iran Rejects US-GCC Pressure Over Missiles, Strait of Hormuz, and Regional Armed Groups

In a statement released on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned a joint US-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) communique as “interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative”. The GCC statement was issued after a ministerial meeting in Bahrain on June 25, where foreign ministers from the US, GCC countries, and other nations participated.

The communique welcomed the recent memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, but tied any future economic engagement with Iran to strict conditions. It also reiterated the shared objective of preventing Iran from developing or acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statement, stating that it distorted regional realities and repeated US and Israeli positions on key issues. The ministry accused the US and its Gulf allies of using diplomacy to impose pressure on Tehran after the recent United States-Israeli conflict on Iran.

The GCC statement also addressed regional security concerns, including Iran’s ballistic missiles, drones, and support for proxies in the region. It called for the disarmament of non-state armed groups in Lebanon, which are seen as aligned with Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that the country is committed to collective security in the region and urged GCC states to work with Iran towards establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

The statement also highlighted concerns over regional bases and facilities used during recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran urged regional states whose territory was used during the conflict to take action against those responsible.

The GCC countries’ position on these issues has been met with criticism from Iran, which views the communique as an attempt to exert pressure and control over its actions in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera