Gulf states on Monday condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks across the Middle East, accusing Iran at the United Nations of undermining their attempts to avoid regional escalation.
After the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday, the Iranian government launched retaliatory attacks on targets across the Middle East.
A group of Arab states told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that Iran’s attack was an “extremely serious” violation of international law that threatened regional stability.
“Arab states called for increased dialogue and openness. This is an unwarranted escalation that destabilizes all efforts for peace and stability,” Saudi Ambassador Abdulmohsen Bin Kotaira said on behalf of the group.
Jordan was joined by six Gulf Cooperation Council members – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – all of which have faced retaliation from Tehran, to jointly condemn the “Iranian aggression” which occurred “despite our efforts to avoid regional escalation”.
On Thursday, Oman mediated talks between U.S. and Iranian negotiators in Geneva. Washington and Israel launched attacks two days later.
“We call for an immediate end to military action… and a return to dialogue is the only way to resolve differences,” said the sultanate’s deputy permanent representative, Mohammed al-Balushi.
Kuwait’s Ambassador Nasser Abdullah Al-Hayen added: “Terrorizing civilians in peace-seeking countries is an abhorrent crime.
“Iran should exercise restraint and wisdom and refrain from further military escalation.”
– “Elementary power” –
Iran’s Ambassador Ali Bahaini said the country was “exposed to indiscriminate and aggressive military attacks by the United States and the Israeli regime.”
He said Iranian schools had been bombed, hospitals had been attacked indiscriminately, leaders had been assassinated, and “more than 160 innocent schoolgirls had been massacred in Minab.”
He said the “deliberate killing of civilians” is a blatant violation of the UN Charter and that “the ongoing illegal military invasion of Iran exemplifies raw power’s grip on human rights principles.”
The European Union called for maximum restraint, while African groups said the situation was undermining trust between nations.
“There is no ambiguity about the gravity of this moment. We are standing on a precipice,” said Turkiye, Iran’s neighbor.
“The risk of further escalation is real and imminent,” Ambassador Burak Akkapar said, appealing to countries to prevent “a spiral of instability that could spread far beyond Iran and our region.”
Some countries expressed support for Iran at the United Nations’ highest rights body.
China said the U.S. and Israeli attacks “brutally violated the human rights of the Iranian people” and the killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei “seriously violates Iran’s sovereignty.”
Cuba said the United States declares “an exceptional right to subjugate and use force as a legitimate form of action.”
Citing the US detention of President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela said the immunity of heads of state must be respected or other heads of state could also be subject to “illegal bombings, abductions and assassinations.”
