Manama, June 10 (QNA) - Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stated that the GCC states have been subjected to sinful Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure and vital civilian facilities, the latest of which were the terrorist Iranian attacks that targeted Bahrain and Kuwait this morning, in a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Council states and the principles of good neighborliness, and a grave breach of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations (UN) Charter

During his speech at the 167th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council in Manama on Wednesday, Albudaiwi commended the efficiency and readiness of the armed forces of the GCC states, which professionally and capably intercepted more than 7,000 ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran towards the GCC states, contributing to neutralizing the threat and protecting lives, facilities and vital assets.

Despite the gravity of these attacks, the GCC states chose restraint and wisdom, out of keenness to avoid sliding into cycles of escalation with unforeseeable consequences, he added.

The GCC states reserve their legal right to respond, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, which guarantees the right of individual and collective self-defense, Albudaiwi emphasized.

He also praised the high level of coordination among the Council states in addressing the repercussions of the Iranian aggressions through holding more than 150 extraordinary meetings across all ministerial and technical levels.

As a continuation of this destabilizing conduct, the region witnessed another dangerous escalation represented by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of navigation through it, in a clear denial of states' right of passage and navigation, guaranteed under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, he pointed out during his speech, calling for the immediate reopening of the Strait and the restoration of normal navigation, while affirming the significance of returning to the path of dialogue and diplomacy to overcome the current crisis. (QNA)