The positions of the Gulf Cooperation Council states have been made very clear, as they openly expressed their opposition to Friday’s initial Israeli military strikes that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities.

On that day, Saudi Arabia issued a clear statement in which it expressed its “strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli attacks against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms.”

For its part, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its “strong condemnation and deep denunciation of the Israeli attack targeting the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The UAE, in a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed its “deep concern over the ongoing escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability,” stressing the “importance of exercising the utmost self-restraint and judgment to mitigate risks and prevent the expansion of the conflict.”

The Gulf Cooperation Council’s Ministerial Council, in its 48th extraordinary session, unanimously expressed its rejection of “the Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran, which infringe its sovereignty and security and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.” It emphasized “the necessity of returning to the diplomatic path” and “an immediate ceasefire,” in order to “maintain the security and stability of the region.” It also called on the “UN Security Council and the international community to assume their responsibilities toward the immediate cessation of this war.”

The council’s statement did not overlook a highly important point related to energy security, as it stressed “the importance of preserving maritime security and waterways in the region, and countering activities that threaten the security and stability of the region and the world, including targeting commercial ships, threatening maritime navigation and international trade, and oil facilities in the GCC states.”

The GCC states’ positions were not limited to statements alone. Direct phone calls took place between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pezeshkian also spoke with both Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

The foreign ministries of the Gulf states are also in contact with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to coordinate and de-escalate and to arrange logistical matters related to Iranian citizens stranded in these countries or Gulf citizens stranded in Iran, in addition to the messages being conveyed by various parties aiming to de-escalate the situation.

Added to all this are the direct communications between the kings and presidents of the Gulf states and the US, France, the UK, Turkiye and other influential countries, which aim to create a genuine and practical political path that pushes for the resumption of US-Iranian negotiations, the halting of military actions and making diplomacy the sole path toward resolving disputes.

Some may find these intensive efforts surprising, especially since they are coming from Arab countries that have political and security disputes with Iran. They have also experienced incidents where Tehran played a negative role that harmed Gulf security by supporting cells loyal to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which engaged in interference and sabotage operations in several Arab countries.

These previous negative experiences are taken into account by the Gulf Arab states, but they have adopted a flexible, pragmatic approach that prevents them from remaining trapped in the past or being held hostage to reactions and emotional responses. This is especially the case given that a trust-building process has begun and is progressing step by step between Saudi Arabia and Iran following the signing of the Beijing Agreement between the two countries in March 2023, which was based on mutual respect and noninterference in each other’s internal affairs.

What distinguishes Riyadh and the other Gulf capitals is that they do not base their foreign policies on emotions. Rather, they build their diplomacy on what serves their national interests first, regional security second and their partnerships with neighboring countries — including Iran. They strive to make honest and serious dialogue the path to resolving ongoing issues.