GCC Leaders Condemn Iranian Attacks and Strait of Hormuz Closure

Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened an extraordinary consultative summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 28, 2026, to coordinate a response to regional instability. The meeting followed a conflict that began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and the illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

GCC leaders categorically rejected Iran's obstruction of maritime navigation and the imposition of transit fees, demanding a return to pre-February conditions to restore global energy supplies. To mitigate future risks, the bloc ordered the acceleration of a joint oil and gas pipeline, a ballistic missile early warning system, and the Gulf Railway project. The council also affirmed a collective defense pact, declaring that an attack on one member would be viewed as an attack on all.

Diplomatic adviser to the UAE President Anwar Gargash characterized the Iranian assaults as a premeditated strategic plan, noting that previous containment policies failed miserably. He reported that UAE air defenses intercepted thousands of drones and missiles, though 12 people were killed. While Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani described the summit as embodying a unified Gulf position, internal friction emerged as the United Arab Emirates announced its withdrawal from OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026.