According to GCC, the Israeli attacks not only undermine Iranian sovereignty but also pose grave threats to regional peace and security. 21 Arab and Islamic countries have urged a return to negotiations, particularly on the Iranian nuclear file….reports Asian Lite News
A chorus of Arab and Islamic nations has strongly condemned Israel’s recent military strikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning that the escalating conflict could plunge the Middle East into a broader and deadlier confrontation. The call for calm came amid mounting civilian casualties, attacks on sensitive sites, and threats of further escalation from both Israel and Iran.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a pointed rebuke to Israel during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Speaking on behalf of the six-member bloc, Kuwaiti Ambassador Nasser Al-Hayen described the Israeli strikes as a “flagrant violation” of international law and the United Nations Charter. The attacks, he said, not only undermine Iranian sovereignty but also pose grave threats to regional peace and security.
Ambassador Al-Hayen reaffirmed the GCC’s long-standing commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes and international cooperation. “Protecting human rights begins with respect for sovereignty and dialogue,” he said. The GCC also reiterated its condemnation of what it termed Israel’s ongoing “brutal aggression” against the Palestinian people, linking the latest Iran attacks to Israel’s broader regional policy of force.
United front in Doha
The GCC’s condemnation was echoed in a sweeping joint statement issued by 21 Arab and Islamic countries — including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan — following a high-level ministerial meeting in Doha on June 16. The statement warned that the recent Israeli offensives, beginning on June 13, were a dangerous breach of international norms and risked triggering a “serious and far-reaching” regional conflict.
The countries demanded an immediate halt to the Israeli attacks and urged a return to negotiations, particularly on the Iranian nuclear file. “Military solutions cannot achieve lasting peace,” the joint communiqué said. It also stressed the urgency of establishing a Middle East Zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, while calling on all regional actors — implicitly including Israel — to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The conflict has escalated sharply since Israel launched strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, citing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran has responded with a volley of missiles and drones, claiming its programme is peaceful. The war has already taken a grim toll: according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, Israeli strikes in Iran have left at least 639 dead, including military and scientific personnel. Iran’s missile counterattacks have reportedly killed more than two dozen civilians in Israel, though exact figures remain unverified.
Iran uses cluster bombs
On Thursday, Israel accused Iran of deploying cluster munitions in a missile attack that scattered submunitions over central Israel. One exploded in the town of Azor, damaging a home but causing no fatalities. Cluster bombs are banned under international law by over 100 countries due to their indiscriminate and long-lasting danger to civilians — though neither Iran nor Israel is a signatory to the ban.
In a significant escalation, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist” — a statement that sent shockwaves through diplomatic channels. Katz accused Khamenei of ordering direct strikes on civilian sites, including a hospital in Beersheba that Iran claimed housed military personnel.
Overnight, Israeli fighter jets bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, including a uranium enrichment site in Natanz and the Arak reactor under construction. An Israeli military official warned that the missiles used by Iran featured multiple warheads, complicating air defence efforts.
Hezbollah warned
Amid fears of a regional spillover, Katz also warned Hezbollah not to intervene. The Lebanese group’s leader, Naim Qassem, had earlier vowed to support Iran in response to “Israeli-American aggression.”
The Arab world is also deeply concerned about the potential for a maritime crisis. The joint statement called for protecting freedom of navigation in international waterways, hinting at risks to Gulf shipping lanes if the conflict expands.
Trump holds fire—for now
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would decide within two weeks whether to join the war. “There’s a substantial chance of negotiations with Iran,” he said, adding that any American military involvement would hinge on whether diplomacy could be salvaged.
For many in the Arab world, this moment marks a critical test of multilateralism and diplomacy. With both Tehran and Tel Aviv locked into military logic, Arab nations are stepping up calls for de-escalation, hoping that diplomacy — not destruction — will shape the next chapter of the region’s future.
