https://arab.news/vkhtv
As the Israel-Iran war entered its fourth day on Monday, with the fighting intensifying and reaching dangerous levels that could disrupt life beyond the two warring parties, the Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers met to coordinate their policy. The six GCC member states, plus the bloc as a whole, had already put out similar statements calling for a ceasefire and condemning Israel for starting the war on Friday.
At Monday’s meeting, the six GCC ministers went beyond those initial statements to address some of the risks involved and suggested ways to handle them other than war. While the GCC and Iran have at times strongly disagreed on important issues, the organization and its member states have opted for diplomacy to settle those disputes. Oman, one of the GCC member states, has actively mediated between Iran and the US on the nuclear issue. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement two years ago, with the help of China, to resume diplomatic relations after many years of disruption. Other member states have been in regular touch with Iran on its regional policies, over which the two sides have diverged greatly. All six foreign ministers met with their Iranian counterpart last October to work on this diplomatic approach. It is still a work in progress.
