EU and Gulf ministers called following crisis talks Thursday for Iran to immediately end “indiscriminate” attacks across the region in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, warning global security was at stake.
The foreign ministers met by video link as Iran stepped up attacks on countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council — with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman all now targeted.
“The ministers strongly condemned the unjustifiable Iranian attacks against the GCC countries, which threaten regional and global security and called on Iran to cease immediately its attacks,” said a joint statement issued afterwards.
Addressing the fallout of “indiscriminate” Iranian attacks, they also “affirmed that the GCC states have the right to take all necessary measures” to defend themselves.
As Iranian missiles and drones have slammed Gulf states’ cities and infrastructure, upending relations with Tehran, the neighbours have been put on a potential course for greater confrontation.
But EU and Gulf ministers jointly reaffirmed their “unwavering commitment to dialogue and diplomacy” as a means to resolve the crisis.
They pledged “joint diplomatic efforts” for a lasting solution to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and for it to “cease production and proliferation” of ballistic missiles and drones.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who chaired the talks, earlier said the bloc was looking to help Gulf nations fend off Iranian drone strikes, but warned supplies of relevant kit might be limited.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Kallas warned production of drone interceptors would struggle to keep up with high demand both in Ukraine and now in the Middle East.
“Everybody has the need for air defence… So there is really a problem with production,” she told journalists in Brussels, adding Europe needed to “speed up” production.
“I’m worried that the capabilities are limited,” she said.
