The summit of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries started this evening at Al Safa Palace in Makkah under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, received the heads of delegations of the Gulf states on their arrival.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and His Highness Shehab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait and Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
After that, the GCC summit opened with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran where the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud delivered a speech in which he pointed out that the summit is taking place under the direct challenges that threaten regional and international security and stability.
"In the past, we have been able to overcome many of the challenges to security and stability, as well as to preserve the gains and achieve economic and social development in our countries, and we will work together to confront all challenges and threats with resolve and determination."
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques said that the Iranian regime is interfering in the internal affairs of the countries of the region, developing its nuclear and missile programs and threatening the freedom of international navigation, which threatens the oil supply to the world. Is a flagrant challenge to the United Nations Charter, principles and laws for the maintenance of international peace and security. Its support for terrorism over four decades and its threat to security and stability in order to expand influence and hegemony is an act that is rejected by international norms and conventions.
He stressed that the recent criminal acts targeting one of the most important ways of world trade by sabotage of four commercial carriers in the sisterly UAE, as well as targeting two oil pumping stations and a number of vital installations in the Kingdom require all of us to work seriously to preserve the security and gains of the GCC countries Stressing that the Kingdom is keen on the security and stability of the region, and spare it the scourge of war and achieve peace, stability and prosperity for all the peoples of the region, including the Iranian people and will remain the hand of the Kingdom always extended to peace, and will continue to work in support of all efforts to maintain security and Stability in the region.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques pointed out that the failure to take a deterrent and firm stance against the subversive activities of the Iranian regime in the region led him to persist in this and escalate in the manner we see today. We call on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities regarding the threat posed by Iranian practices to international security and peace. To intervene in the internal affairs of other States and to sponsor terrorist activities in the region and the world, and to stop threatening the freedom of navigation in the international straits.