UAE discuss Iran attacks with regional neighbours in ministerial meeting

The United Arab Emirates were present at a ministerial meeting with regional neighbours on Wednesday in Riyadh regarding the Iranian attacks.

The Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Almarar represented the UAE alongside counterparts from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey.

The participants affirmed their condemnation and denunciation of the Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones, which targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, water desalination plants, airports, residential facilities, and diplomatic headquarters.

The participants stressed that these attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way, and also affirmed the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article (51) of the Charter of the United Nations.

They called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks, respect international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step towards ending the escalation, achieving security and stability in the region, and activating diplomacy as a means to resolve crises.

They stressed that the future of relations with Iran depends on respecting the sovereignty of states, not interfering in their internal affairs, not violating their sovereignty and territories in any way, and not using and developing its military capabilities to threaten the countries of the region.

Additionally, they referenced Iran's need to comply with Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), to immediately cease all attacks, to refrain from any provocative actions or threats directed at neighboring countries, to stop supporting, financing and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries, which Iran does in service of its own purposes and against the interests of these countries, and to refrain from any actions or threats aimed at closing or obstructing international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or threatening maritime security in Bab al-Mandab.