Several Gulf countries have strongly denounced Iran’s drone strikes Saturday on the island nation of Bahrain, while vowing to stand united against any possible aggression from Tehran in the future.
This escalation poses the greatest threat yet to the memorandum of understanding signed last week by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
After Iran struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz Friday, the U.S. launched overnight airstrikes on Iranian missile, drone and radar sites. Iran responded Saturday with the drone strikes on Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
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The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, called Iran’s attack on Bahrain “treacherous,” adding that it will undermine ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East.
The GCC represents the interests of Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, several of which released their own statements condemning Iran.
Bahrain issued a response, confirming that Iran flew a number of drones into its territory and calling the strikes a “flagrant threat” to the nation’s security. It remains unclear exactly which areas Iran targeted.
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“While the Ministry condemns this heinous aggression, it affirms that the Iranian regime’s continued attacks, at a time when regional and international efforts are moving towards de-escalation, place the sole responsibility on Tehran for undermining peace efforts and reveals an approach based on destabilizing security, exporting chaos and undermining regional stability,” Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry also said Saturday.
Officials in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also came out with statements on Saturday condemning Iran.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said the Iranian strikes represent “a dangerous undermining of endeavors for peace and stability and a threat to the security and stability of the region.”
Both Kuwait and the UAE said they remain committed to supporting Bahrain’s safety and stability.
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Also joining in the public denouncements of Iran were Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with both countries saying the latest strikes violate Bahrain’s sovereignty and international law.
Notably, Oman’s foreign ministry has not addressed the attack. Oman has maintained a neutral stance throughout the war and has frequently acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Oman and Iran are also still in the midst of negotiating a joint framework for the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard took responsibility for the strikes on Bahrain, saying on state-run TV that it had targeted several locations “of the U.S. terrorist army in the region” without specifying which areas were hit, according to The Associated Press.
So far, no casualties or significant damage have been reported from the drone attack, which occurred days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf allies in Bahrain.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
