The Security Council today encouraged collaboration between the United Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to address "shared challenges, such as maritime security, preventing and countering terrorism, and responding to food and water security" as part of broader efforts to promote peace and stability in a region engulfed by the ongoing Israel-United States war with Iran.
In an agreed presidential statement submitted by the representative of Bahrain (to be issued as document S/PRST/2026/1 ) in his capacity as Council President for April, the Security Council recognized the Gulf Cooperation Council's "position and expertise in understanding and promoting regional sustainable peace and security".
It also acknowledged its "contributions to regional and international stability through mediation, preventive diplomacy, technical and financial support, and humanitarian engagement in support of prevention across the peace continuum".
Established in 1981, the regional organization comprises six member States - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - and serves as a platform for cooperation on political, economic and sociocultural issues affecting the Arab States of the Gulf.
Calls to Elevate, Enhance UN-GCC Cooperation amid Heightened Volatility
Today's briefing marked the first Security Council meeting focused on UN-GCC cooperation, and the presidential statement is the Security Council's first formal outcome on that partnership. The text aims to elevate the cooperation to a level comparable to the UN's engagement with other regional and subregional organizations, such as the African Union and the League of Arab States.
Among other provisions, the statement requested the Secretary-General to include, in his next report to the Security Council and the General Assembly on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations, recommendations on strengthening institutional relations and cooperation with the GCC.
It further encouraged regular briefings by the GCC Secretary-General to promote closer cooperation and strategic coordination with the United Nations, particularly in addressing emerging threats and challenges to peace and security in the Gulf region.
The statement recalled the Council's previous relevant resolutions, "which take into consideration the importance of the Gulf region to international peace and security and its vital role in the stability of the world economy". It, however, makes no direct references to the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis, Iran's attacks on Gulf countries or to resolutions 2817 (2026) and 552 (1984).
Before the adoption, the Security Council heard briefings from senior officials of the two organizations.
"The ongoing escalation underlines the urgent need for coordinated multilateral action," said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, stressing the importance of "strengthened" UN-GCC cooperation.
Mr. Khiari highlighted the GCC's crucial and increasingly stabilizing role across the Middle East in de-escalating regional tensions, supporting mediation efforts and reinforcing pathways towards political solutions. It has been instrumental in mobilizing political and humanitarian support for Palestinians in Gaza, he said, while also coordinating closely with the UN to advance a Syrian-owned political transition and support Lebanon's sovereignty and recovery.
In addition, the GCC remains a key partner in preserving space for a Yemeni-led peace process, supporting mediation efforts in Sudan and strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation through its partnership with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.
Deepening the UN's partnership with the GCC is "not only timely, but necessary", he said, adding: "We must draw on our comparative advantages and respective strengths in the pursuit of regional peace and stability."
'Cornerstone of Global Economy'
Jassim Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said: "Although this is the first time that the GCC is addressing the Security Council, it is not the first time that the GCC has assumed its international responsibilities."
He highlighted Saudi Arabia's leadership of the international coalition to implement the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine, which led to the adoption of the New York Declaration. He also noted Qatar's mediation efforts, as well as various GCC States' initiatives in Yemen.
He further pointed to the GCC's efforts to promote a culture of peace and ensure food security, adding that its member States collectively rank as the fourth-largest humanitarian donor globally.
The GCC is also "a cornerstone of the global economy", he said, noting that its member States' combined output exceeded $2.3 trillion in 2024. Together, they produce 16 million barrels of oil per day and 442 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually. As a result, he warned, "any disruption in the Gulf immediately affects global markets", as recent events have shown. "Stability in the Arabian Gulf is not merely a regional concern, but is rather a global necessity," he stressed.
Bahrain Pushes Action on Strait of Hormuz
Abdullatif bin Rashid al Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, said his country submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council regarding Iran's unlawful and unjustified attempt to control international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz - an action that presents a challenge requiring "a decisive response".
This draft resolution is fully consistent with international law and with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees the right of transit passage through straits without obstruction, in stark contrast to Iran's actions today, he said, adding that he looks forward to "a unified position from this esteemed Council during the vote on the draft resolution tomorrow".
The representative of the United States noted that the region's "great cities", from Riyadh to Doha, are hubs for tourism, business and education. The GCC represents "one of the most strategically consequential parts of the world, where the arteries of commerce and energy and national security run right through their backyards", he said, adding that its members have never closed their ports or waterways to United States ships.
He also highlighted their role in implementing President Donald J. Trump's peace plan in Gaza and supporting recovery in Syria following the lifting of United States sanctions. "We have seen our Gulf partners rise to the occasion," he said, expressing hope that their streets will one day "ring out with Formula 1 race cars and not Shahed drones".
United Kingdom, Others Point to Iran, as Moscow Blames United States, Israel for 'Unprovoked' Aggression
The representative of the United Kingdom expressed solidarity with all GCC States as they exercise "their inherent right to defend their sovereignty and protect their citizens" against Iran's unacceptable attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz. By attacking its neighbours, "Iran bears the primary responsibility for the current escalation", said his counterpart from France.
However, the Russian Federation's delegate rejected one‑sided narratives and stressed that "the current conflict did not occur in a vacuum". It was the direct result of an unprovoked act of aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran's territory. Echoing such a view, China and Pakistan highlighted their five-point initiative on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the prompt launch of peace talks, the protection of non-military targets, the security of shipping lanes and the primacy of the UN Charter.
Better Together
Many speakers, including from Colombia, Panama, Greece, Denmark, Lativa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, underscored that the UN and the GCC complement each other. On that, the representatives of Liberia cautioned against "a false choice" between regional action and global authority. "This is not a competition, but a complementarity," he said, stressing that "the United Nations provides legitimacy. Regional organizations provide immediacy, and together, they provide effectiveness."
