GCC chief urges UN action to secure Hormuz shipping

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem al-Budaiwi on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has effectively shut down the key waterway – which carries around a fifth of global oil consumption – in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began in late February.

Reopening the strait has become a priority for governments worldwide as energy prices surge.

Al-Budaiwi told the Security Council that Gulf countries are facing “heinous Iranian aggression,” adding that GCC states have an inherent right to self-defense.

The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader, triggering a broader regional war.

Tehran has since responded with drone and missile attacks across the region, including strikes on neighboring countries that say they are not involved and have not allowed their territory to be used for attacks.

Several Arab and Islamic countries – including all GCC members – have faced repeated Iranian strikes since the conflict began.

Al-Budaiwi also warned that threats by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait point to an expanding conflict.