Iran on Friday condemned the joint communique issued after the GCC-US ministerial meeting in Bahrain, calling it interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative. Tehran dismissed Washington’s stated commitment to Gulf security as empty rhetoric, arguing that American military presence in the region generates instability rather than protection.
Iran’s foreign ministry warned that the use of regional military bases during recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran proved Washington disregards its partners’ security. It urged those regional states to reconsider their obligations under international law and prevent their territory from being used against Iran.
Tehran rejected accusations about its nuclear programme as fabricated, called GCC characterisation of Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups as Iranian proxies baseless, and insisted Israel itself was the region’s only true proxy force. Iran also warned it would defend its missile and drone capabilities without compromise.
On the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran attributed navigation disruptions to US and Israeli military actions, asserting that the waterway falls within Iranian and Omani territorial waters and would be governed by the recently signed US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
The GCC and Washington had earlier called for unconditional navigation through the strait and conditioned any future trade with Iran on compliance with the memorandum, welcoming Pakistan and Qatar’s mediation roles.
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