Al-Zayani said the threat from Iran “remains very real and continues to grow”, while offering condolences to those killed in Iranian and Houthi attacks across the region…reports Arab Daily News Desk
Eighty countries have condemned Iran’s attacks across the neighbourhood and called for the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that restrictions on shipping are threatening maritime security, energy supplies and global trade.
The joint statement was read by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani at a media conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday. Its backers included Gulf Arab states and major Western powers.
Al-Zayani said the threat from Iran “remains very real and continues to grow”, while offering condolences to those killed in Iranian and Houthi attacks across the region.
The statement said Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz were threatening international security and freedom of navigation. It called for the waterway to be fully reopened and for vessels to be allowed safe and unimpeded passage without tolls, conditions or charges contrary to international law.
The countries also condemned the Houthis’ renewed conflict in Yemen, attacks on Saudi Arabia and strikes in the Red Sea. They warned that the group’s advance towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could increase risks to shipping, maritime security and global trade.
The warning comes after the Houthis seized Mayun Island, also known as Perim, in the Bab el-Mandeb earlier this month. The strategic island sits inside the narrow waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and gives the group a position close to a major international shipping route.
Saudi Arabia has also faced renewed attacks. Riyadh said it intercepted six ballistic missiles fired towards areas including Taif and Yanbu on Thursday, as regional tensions continued to escalate.
The disruption has raised wider concerns over the impact on global energy and food supplies. UN Secretary-General António Guterres previously warned that disruption to maritime routes around Hormuz and Bab el-Mandab was contributing to higher prices, deeper hunger and weaker harvests. He said commercial shipping and seafarers should not be used as leverage.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has itself come under Iranian missile and drone attacks since the conflict involving Iran began in February.
Iran has also launched attacks or faced accusations of attacks involving several countries in the region, including Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Jordan, Türkiye and Syria.
Al-Zayani said a political solution remained the way forward as the international community sought to restore freedom of navigation and contain the widening regional conflict.
