Gulf states demand Iran pay compensation for missile and drone attacks
Gulf Arab states have called on Iran to pay full compensation for damage caused by thousands of missile and drone attacks since February, and urged the UN Security Council to hold Tehran accountable and prevent further strikes.
Addressing a meeting of the 15-member UN Council on Friday, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi said Iran targeted critical infrastructure across the region, including airports, seaports, oil and gas facilities, power stations, desalination plants and residential areas.
He said Gulf countries had not been involved in the war and had instead made extensive diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.
Iran rejected the accusations, with its deputy ambassador to the UN, Gholamhossein Darzi, accusing Gulf states of helping the United States carry out attacks against Tehran.
He said countries facilitating US military operations had violated international law and should themselves be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the GCC chief called for a return to pre-war navigation conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, opposing any restrictions on shipping or the imposition of unlawful transit charges.
Al Budaiwi also said any future agreement with Tehran must address Gulf security concerns, including Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile capabilities, drone activities and support for armed groups.
Warning of the wider impact on maritime trade, UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said shipping activity in the Gulf remained significantly below pre-war levels despite efforts to redirect energy exports through alternative routes.
He told the Security Council that October had recorded the highest number of attacks and other incidents involving commercial vessels since the conflict began.
According to the International Maritime Organisation, 134 incidents had been confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters as of November 11, leaving 25 seafarers dead, while others were injured or remained missing.
Khiari warned that prolonged restrictions on shipping would deepen economic losses and undermine confidence in international trade.
He urged that the disruption should not become a permanent feature of maritime commerce, warning that the longer the restrictions continued, the harder it would be to restore normal shipping activity.