Saudi-hosted ministerial meeting calls on Iran to 'immediately and unconditionally' halt Gulf attacks

RIYADH: A ministerial meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia has urged Iran to "immediately and unconditionally" cease its attacks against Gulf countries amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The conflict traces back to US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, following which Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US assets and military bases in Gulf countries.

Pakistan's participation

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to the Saudi capital Riyadh a day earlier to attend the consultative ministerial meeting.

In a statement posted on X, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the meeting was attended by representatives from Azerbaijan, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkiye, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Egypt.

Condemnation of Iranian strikes

The ministers at the gathering condemned Iranian "missile and drone attacks" and held Iran "fully responsible" for the escalation. They called on Tehran to "immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression and to comply with UN Security Council resolutions."

The participating ministers maintained that Iran's actions amounted to a serious threat to regional stability and security in the Gulf. The collective statement reflected a unified stance among the attending nations, demanding an immediate end to hostilities and adherence to international legal frameworks.

The meeting underscored the growing concern among regional and Muslim-majority nations over the intensifying conflict and its spillover effects on Gulf states, which have found themselves caught in the crossfire of the broader US-Iran-Israel confrontation.

Pakistan's participation in the high-level consultative session highlights Islamabad's continued diplomatic engagement on Middle Eastern security matters. Foreign Minister Dar's presence in Riyadh signals Pakistan's alignment with regional calls for de-escalation and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The Saudi-hosted gathering brought together a broad coalition of nations from across the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, reflecting the wide-ranging impact of the conflict on countries in and around the Gulf region. The joint call for Iran to halt its military operations and comply with UN resolutions represents a significant diplomatic development as the region grapples with heightened tensions.