His Excellency Mr. Jassem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, affirmed that the treacherous Iranian aggressions against the Council’s states and the threat of the Houthi terrorist militia to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait are acts that require immediate accountability and a firm international position that ensures respect for the rules of international law, guarantees freedom of navigation, and protects critical infrastructure related to energy and natural resources.

This came during his speech at the high-level open debate of the United Nations Security Council under the title 'Governing Natural Resources.. A Pillar for Peace, Security and Prosperity', today in New York, United States of America.

His Excellency explained in his speech that the session’s topic gains increasing importance amid the major challenges facing the international community, noting that the GCC states have made good governance of natural resources a fundamental pillar in their national and collective policies, as they possess about 30% of global oil reserves, nearly 20% of natural gas reserves, and contribute approximately a quarter of global oil production, which has made them a reliable partner in achieving stability of global energy markets, even in times of crises and geopolitical fluctuations.

He condemned in the strongest terms the irresponsible and hostile statements made by the Houthi militia, including false claims against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the threat to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait, in a dangerous escalation that constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, a direct threat to the freedom of international navigation, and to the safety of one of the most important strategic maritime corridors in the world. Such threats affect the security and stability of the entire region and undermine international efforts to protect global supply chains and ensure the flow of international trade and energy supplies.

His Excellency highlighted the dangerous Iranian practices that targeted freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including targeting commercial ships, planting naval mines, attempts to impose mandatory routes within Iranian territorial waters, explicit threats to prevent passage, in addition to repeated announcements of closing the strait, stressing that these practices constitute a violation of international law and undermine confidence in the security of one of the most important global maritime passages.