GCC Council Welcomes Condemnation of Iranian Mine Threats in Hormuz Strait

The Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday welcomed the International Maritime Organization's formal condemnation of Iranian threats to mine the Strait of Hormuz and impose a toll system on vessels transiting the critical waterway, calling the IMO's stance a necessary affirmation of international maritime law.

The GCC Secretariat issued a statement expressing the bloc's full support for the IMO resolution, describing Iran's threats as a direct challenge to the freedom of navigation and the security of global energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil trade, making it among the most strategically vital chokepoints on earth.

Tehran's threats to mine the strait and levy tolls on passing ships drew widespread international alarm in recent weeks, with GCC member states — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman — collectively condemning the posture as a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and established norms governing international waterways.

The GCC statement stressed that any unilateral attempt to restrict passage through the Strait of Hormuz would constitute an act of aggression against the sovereign rights of Gulf states and the broader international community. The council urged Iran to immediately abandon such threats and engage through diplomatic channels to resolve regional tensions.

Qatar, which relies on the strait for the export of liquefied natural gas that fuels economies across Asia and Europe, has a particularly acute interest in ensuring unimpeded passage. Doha has consistently advocated for dialogue and de-escalation in the Gulf, while maintaining that international maritime law must be upheld without exception.

The IMO condemnation, issued following an emergency session requested by GCC member states and supported by a broad coalition of maritime nations, marks one of the organization's most direct rebukes of a member state's conduct in recent years. The resolution calls on Iran to refrain from any action that could endanger the safety of navigation, the marine environment, or the continuity of global trade.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi reaffirmed that the council would continue to coordinate with international bodies and partner nations to safeguard the security of Gulf waters and protect the economic interests of its member states. The bloc indicated it would raise the matter at the United Nations Security Council should Iran fail to provide credible assurances that the threats have been withdrawn.