New York : The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York, on behalf of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), sent identical letters to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the United Nations Security Council on March 9 2026, in follow-up to the ongoing Iranian attacks targeting a number of GCC member states.
The letter explained that it was submitted as a follow-up to the GCC states’ communication dated March 4 2026, in response to the claims made by the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations during a press briefing on 6 March 2026, in which he alleged that the damage sustained in some GCC states resulted from the interception of missiles by air defense systems.
The letter firmly rejected these allegations, stressing that they represent an attempt to evade legal responsibility for the unlawful attacks targeting civilian facilities and vital infrastructure in the GCC member states.
It further noted that the Iranian attacks since 28 February 2026, involving missiles and drones, constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the GCC member states and a clear breach of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The attacks targeted a number of critical civilian facilities, including civil airports, ports, energy infrastructure, food supply facilities, roads, hotels, buildings housing diplomatic missions, and residential neighborhoods.
The letter also emphasised that Iran’s claim that it targeted only military facilities or objectives is misleading and contrary to reality, noting that millions of civilians were placed at risk as a result of these attacks.
The GCC states stressed in the letter their categorical rejection of Iran’s attempt to invoke Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations to justify these attacks, emphasising that such actions have no legal basis and constitute a clear violation of the principle prohibiting the use or threat of force.
The letter further underscored that Iran bears full responsibility for all casualties, losses, and damages resulting from these attacks.
At the same time, the letter commended the swift and effective response of the air defense forces of the GCC member states, which contributed to intercepting numerous attacks and mitigating the scale of potential losses that could otherwise have been far greater. The letter also expressed appreciation for the positions taken by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and many countries around the world that condemned the Iranian attacks and described them as unjustified and unlawful.
In conclusion, the GCC member states reiterated their inherent right to self-defense, individually or collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and to take all necessary measures to protect their territories, peoples, and vital facilities.
The GCC states also called on the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security by condemning these attacks and demanding their immediate cessation.
