IRIA News

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Arab and Muslim foreign ministers have met in Saudi Arabia for urgent talks on the escalating war with Iran, as missile and drone strikes across the Gulf deepen fears of a wider regional conflict.

The meeting came as Iran targeted energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, the country’s largest source of natural gas.

The escalation followed a series of Israeli attacks that also killed senior Iranian security figures, including Ali Larijani, Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, and intelligence chief Esmail Khatib.

The conflict, now entering its fourth week, has already disrupted regional energy supplies, raised tensions across multiple countries, and triggered fears of global economic shock due to threats against key shipping routes.

Foreign ministers from Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates attended the meeting, according to a joint statement released after the talks.

All participating countries have been directly or indirectly affected by the conflict. Some have faced missile or drone threats, others are dealing with falling debris risks, energy disruptions, or concerns over possible refugee flows if the war expands further.

Lebanon remains one of the most heavily impacted countries, with ongoing cross-border fighting involving Hezbollah and Israeli strikes that have killed hundreds of people in recent weeks, along with a ground operation in southern Lebanon.

The ministers agreed on a unified position emphasizing “the right of states to defend themselves,” citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

Joint Agreement

They jointly condemned what they described as “deliberate Iranian attacks” using ballistic missiles and drones, which they said had hit residential areas, oil facilities, airports, desalination plants, and diplomatic sites.

The statement also called on Iran to:

• Immediately halt all attacks
• Stop provocative actions and threats against neighboring states
• End support and funding for armed proxy groups in the region
• Refrain from actions threatening maritime security, including in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb

At the same time, the ministers condemned Israeli military actions in Lebanon and accused Israel of pursuing destabilizing and expansionist policies in the region.

However, the joint statement did not include any clear enforcement mechanism or details on how these demands would be implemented.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the countries would not publicly set deadlines for action against Iran but made clear that options remain open.

He stated that Gulf states have “very significant capacities and capabilities that they could bring to bear should they choose to do so,” while stressing the importance of defending national sovereignty.

He also expressed hope that Iran would “recalculate quickly and stop attacking their neighbours,” though he added: “I am doubtful they have that wisdom.”

The Saudi minister said the war would eventually end, but warned that rebuilding trust with Iran would take significant time, noting that relations had already been fragile despite a recent China-brokered rapprochement.

Analysts say the Riyadh meeting may signal a shift in regional dynamics, potentially marking a setback in efforts to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Iran’s Response

Inside Iran, leadership uncertainty is adding to tensions. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father Ali Khamenei after his reported assassination, has not been seen publicly since taking power.

Iranian officials have vowed retaliation. A statement from the Supreme Leader’s Telegram channel warned that “every drop of spilled blood comes at a price,” signaling continued escalation.

According to Iranian figures, more than 1,400 people have been killed and over 18,000 injured in strikes attributed to the United States and Israel.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had carried out “Operation True Promise 4,” targeting oil facilities linked to U.S. interests in the region. It described the strikes as retaliation for attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure and said Iran had entered “a new phase of warfare.”

At the same time, Iranian officials insisted they do not intend to harm neighboring economies, even as attacks continue to spread across the Gulf.

Rising Risks for the Region

The escalation has raised fears that the conflict could expand beyond Iran and Israel into a wider regional war involving multiple Gulf states.

Energy infrastructure, maritime routes, and civilian areas are increasingly at risk, while global markets are reacting to uncertainty over oil and gas supplies.

Despite diplomatic efforts in Riyadh, the situation remains volatile, with no clear path toward de-escalation.