Abdullah bin Zayed attends 49th Extraordinary Meeting of GCC Ministerial Council in Doha
25 June 2025 00:26
DOHA (WAM)His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tuesday participated in the 49th Extraordinary Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council, held in the State of Qatar.The meeting was attended by foreign ministers of the GCC member states, as well as Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.The council discussed the latest developments following the Iranian attack targeting the State of Qatar.The convening of the meeting reaffirmed the unity of the Gulf states in standing with Qatar, and underscored that the security and stability of Qatar is an integral part of the security and stability of the GCC.His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan strongly condemned and denounced the Iranian attack on Qatari territory, describing it as a blatant violation of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, and a clear breach of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.He affirmed the UAE's full solidarity with the State of Qatar, praising the country's efficient and professional response to the attack to safeguard the safety of its citizens and residents. He also commended Qatar's commitment to restraint and wise handling of the current situation.Sheikh Abdullah noted that the ministerial meeting reflects the unity of the Gulf ranks and the depth of solidarity among GCC countries in facing the challenges and threats targeting their security and stability.He stressed that the Arab Gulf states stand together to protect their sovereignty and the interests of their peoples, based on their brotherly ties and shared destiny, and that the states will continue their developmental journey with confidence to ensure long-term security, prosperity, and well-being.
He added that adopting dialogue and diplomatic means remains the best approach to resolving regional crises, contributing to the restoration of peace and stability, and safeguarding regional and international security.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
5 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Israeli 'regime' was 'begging' US for ceasefire, Iran says
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Tuesday that the Israeli "regime" was "begging" the US for a ceasefire before President Donald Trump made the announcement on Monday, according to Iran's Press TV. Israel was 'frustrated by the heroic resistance of the Iranian nation", the IRGC said. It added that the last phase of its Operation True Promise III taught a 'historic and unforgettable lesson' to Israel after its 'brutal and blind' aggression, which killed more than 300 civilians in Tehran.
Middle East Eye
5 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
US intelligence report scales back claims on damage to Iranian nuclear facilities: Report
CNN reported on Tuesday that an initial assessment of the strikes by the US Defence Intelligence Agency was that the main components of Iran's nuclear programme were intact and likely only set back by months. This flies in the face of Trump saying that the US air strikes 'completely and totally obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme. The White House trumpeted its bombing of Iran's Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz enrichment complexes as a major military feat that surprised Iran. Israeli military's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, also said on Tuesday that Israeli strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme "by years'. But like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he suggested the conflict with Iran could continue and was "entering a new phase'. The leaked intelligence reports suggest much less damage was done. One source briefed on the assessment of the Department of Defence's intelligence wing said Iran's centrifuges are largely 'intact'. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that just five days into the war, its inspectors lost track of Iran's 409 kilograms of highly-enriched uranium. That amount, which could be easily transported in a container by truck, is enough for 10 nuclear warheads if Iran were to pursue weaponisation. 'This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as 'top secret' but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN in a statement. An Arab official briefed on the matter told Middle East Eye that Iran had received advance warning of the US strikes. Amwaj Media previously reported that Tehran was notified before the US attacked. Before Israel's attack, Iran and the US were in talks to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, according to state media. Pezeshkian held calls with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. Pezeshkian told his Emirati counterpart "to explain to them, in your dealings with the United States, that the Islamic Republic of Iran is only seeking to assert its legitimate rights', referring to its nuclear programme. "It has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons and does not seek them," he was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency, adding that Iran was "ready to resolve the issues... at the negotiating table". But the sting of US-Israel strikes could make restarting talks more difficult. On Tuesday, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the national security and foreign policy commission in Iran's parliament, said cooperation with the IAEA should be suspended, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported. 'Victory' Iran and Israel on Tuesday both declared 'victory' after a US-brokered ceasefire ended 12 days of unprecedented conflict between the two foes, which culminated in the US bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. "We have achieved a historic victory," Netanyahu said in a televised speech on Tuesday, as he warned that Israel could again strike Iran at its discretion. "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon…We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he added. But the Islamic Republic, the first country in the Middle East to go toe-to-toe with Israel since the 1973 war, also claimed a win. Pezeshkian said Iran had achieved a "great victory', according to state media. Israel achieved air superiority over Iran, knocking out its air defence systems. It killed scores of senior Iranian commanders, destroyed energy infrastructure and military production sites. But the Islamic Republic has set its benchmark on the fact that not only did it survive a war with Israel, but it also managed to strike major Israeli cities and military targets almost at will. Iran will come away feeling that it's domestically produced weaponry was able to keep up with cutting-edge western technology, poking holes in the widely assumed superiority of Israel's air defence systems. Israel and Iran's victory posturing suggests the fragile ceasefire announced by Trump on Monday night is holding. But despite the ceasefire mostly holding, the US president erupted in anger earlier on Tuesday, saying that Iran and Israel "have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing'. Although his anger was directed at both countries, Israel bore the brunt of Trump's fury for what he said was military action jeopardising the ceasefire. Trump accused Israel of bombing Iran after the ceasefire was announced and then preparing to launch massive strikes in retaliation for an Iranian missile that he said may have been fired 'by mistake'.
Middle East Eye
5 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Grief and scepticism: Iranians ask what comes after the bombs stop
US President Donald Trump's announcement on Monday imposing a ceasefire on Israel and Iran, potentially ending what he is calling the "12-day war", has brought a measure of relief to some Iranians, but left others wondering if realities on the ground in the Islamic Republic have changed. 'Is it really over? Or will they strike again?' Mina, a 36-year-old sales and marketing consultant, wonders, unsure about whether to feel happy or exercise caution. 'I want to believe it's real. I want the war to be over. So many innocent people died. So many lives were destroyed. I just hope the bombings are finally done,' she told Middle East Eye. It didn't help that after Trump's announcement, both sides briefly continued exchanging strikes, forcing many to doubt that the ceasefire would hold. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has since signalled that the conflict was over, provided Israel doesn't violate the ceasefire, and called Iran's military actions a 'great victory'. Iran's Supreme National Security Council put out a statement that seemed to suggest Iran would go along with the ceasefire. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israel has also said it would honour a ceasefire provided Iran doesn't violate it. Many Iranians are now more sceptical than ever about Israel and the US. Even those who oppose the Iranian government say they have lost all trust in the West's promises. 'Even American media admitted they fooled us, made us think everything was fine, so they could surprise us with an attack. How do we know they won't do it again?' Mohsen, 39, a real estate agent, told MEE. Iran's former ambassador to Croatia, Parviz Esmaeili, echoed that concern in a post on social media. 'Deception and psychological warfare are still central parts of Israel and the US operations against us,' he wrote. 'We need to be ready for bigger tricks.' The doubt and fear, however, are preferable to the reality of an active war. Ladan, 28, who lives in the Aghdasiyeh neighbourhood in northern Tehran, recalls the terror of the strikes by Israel on 23 June. 'Last night was the scariest night of my life,' she says. 'The number of Israeli fighter jets was terrifying. They filled the entire sky over Tehran. I had never seen anything like it in my life,' she continued. 'We could see death so clearly. The explosions kept getting closer. It felt like we were next.' 'Will this ceasefire bring my mom back?' The tragic reality for many Iranians is that the ceasefire feels irrelevant after having already lost loved ones. For them, no agreement can bring those people back. Siavash, 41, lost his mother to an Israeli air strike. 'Will this ceasefire bring my mom back?' he asks. 'She went to the local market to buy fruit. She put her groceries in the car, and right then, an Israeli fighter jet bombed a nearby apartment. The shrapnel hit her car, and she was killed instantly.' 'All that noise about missile power and security, it turned out to be mostly bluff' - Abbas, shop owner in Tehran Siavash complains that the civilian toll of the war has been completely neglected and that the media only talks about military losses. 'Do they even know how many women and children were killed in the Israeli attacks?' On 24 June, Iran's health minister, Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi, said that Israeli air strikes had killed 606 people, and that 95 percent of those deaths happened while people were trapped under rubble. He didn't give an exact number of civilian casualties. Now, many in Iran are waiting to see how the government proceeds after the war. Public anger at the Islamic Republic has been rising in recent years, and some hoped this war might be a turning point - maybe an opportunity for the government to show greater care towards its people instead of trying to control them through fear. 'The government should realise it has no asset greater than the people,' Abbas, 67, who owns a carpet shop in Tehran's Grand Bazaar, said. 'All that noise about missile power and security - it turned out to be mostly bluff. Real strength comes from your people. When they trust you and believe in you, you can do amazing things. But right now, I don't see that trust.' He pauses, then adds, 'I hope they learn from this painful experience. If they don't change the way they rule, they'll just keep repeating the same old mistakes. It's time they made peace with their people.' - Only first names were used for safety reasons
