Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, during his opening speech at the 40th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit held here on Tuesday, stressed that the Gulf countries must unite against the Iranian regime's aggression in the region. "The Iranian regime has continued its aggressive policies in the region that undermine the stability of neighboring countries," King Salman said. Since its establishment, the King said, the GCC has been able to overcome several crises that have hit the region. "Our region today is undergoing circumstances and challenges that call for concentrated efforts to confront them. The Iranian regime continues its aggressive policies to undermine the security and stability (of the region), and (continues to) support terrorism," King Salman said. He also called on the international community to take the necessary measures to ensure energy supplies and the freedom of maritime navigation is secured. The King added, "We cannot fail, during this meeting, to reaffirm our position on the Palestinian cause and the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital." Saudi Arabia welcomes the Yemeni government's efforts in reaching the Riyadh Agreement, the King said, stressing the importance of a political solution in Yemen. He also reaffirmed that the Kingdom will continue to support Yemen in order to ensure the country's security and stability. The six-nation GCC also stressed that any aggression against any country in the GCC is an attack against the whole council, Secretary-General Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al-Zayani said in his speech on Tuesday at the conclusion of the 40th Summit. Riyadh Summit took a firm positions and decisions regarding relations with Iran. The final statement issued by the Supreme Council rejected the continues Iranian interference in the internal affairs of the GCC countries and the region. The statement confirmed the necessity to stop and refrain the Iranian regime from supporting groups that fuel conflicts, the need to stop supporting, financing and arming militias and terrorist organizations and the importance of a comprehensive international agreement that guarantees preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The final statement also condemned Iran's continued failure to fulfill its obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). On terrorism and extremism, the final statement rejected its motives and justifications and all its forms and manifestations. The statement stressed that the GCC countries are working to dry out its funding sources. The most important principles and values on which the societies of the GCC countries are based are tolerance and coexistence between nations and peoples. The Supreme Council confirmed the unity and common destiny of the GCC countries and the positions and decisions of the Gulf Cooperation Council towards terrorism and extremism The Council welcomed the Kingdom's presidency of the G20 and the conference of combating extremism and terrorism that held in Riyadh. The council praised establishing the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council and UAE's efforts in the field of exploring outer space. The Supreme Council approved cultural strategy for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries 2020-2030, Joint Cooperation Strategy for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries 2020 – 2025 and the internal organization of the Arabization and Translation Center. Al-Zayani called for strengthening military and security cooperation between member states to maintain regional security, as well as financial and monetary unity by 2025. He added that the main goal of the GCC is to achieve unity and cooperation among members and called on them to work with friendly states to face any military threats. Al-Zayani also called on Gulf nations to remain "integrated and intertwined", stressing the need for "cohesion". Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said that a positive attitude was prevalent during the summit, adding that the countries are "satisfied with the positive and constructive steps that were made." King Salman welcomed the heads of delegations from the GCC countries earlier on Tuesday, including the UAE delegate Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Qatar's delegate Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and Oman's delegate Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al-Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers. The GCC has supported Washington's policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran through sanctions, and the region is at a heightened state of alert for further backlashes. In a sign of the changing mood, the Doha delegation received a warm welcome in Riyadh, with King Salman and the Qatari prime minister exchanging smiles and pleasantries. "The people of Qatar, welcome, to your second country," said the commentator on Saudi state television, in a friendly greeting. — SG
