Tehran’s perceptions of controlling the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are legally invalid and completely rejected.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, confirmed that the Arab countries have not and will not be held hostage by Iran to settle scores, stressing that Tehran’s perceptions of controlling the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are legally invalid, not based on an argument or justification, and are completely rejected. This came in his speech during the Arab League Council meeting held at the ministerial level in an extraordinary session via video conference technology regarding the illegal Iranian attacks against Arab countries and Iran’s obligations under international law, headed by Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Chairman of the current session of the League Council at the ministerial level. Aboul Gheit called on the international community to hold the aggressor fully responsible for his illegal, unjustified and unacceptable attacks on a number of Arab countries.

He said that freedom of navigation in international straits and passages – including the Strait of Hormuz – is something guaranteed by international law, and the essence of the law of the sea, and Iran cannot extract for itself the right to control the Strait of Hormuz because it simply does not have it, explaining that all the measures it imposes to restrict freedom of navigation or impose discriminatory traffic rules have no basis in law or established custom.

Aboul Gheit stated that Iran did not comply with Security Council Resolution 2817 issued on March 11, and did not acknowledge that its attacks on the Arab countries of the Gulf, Jordan, and Iraq represented a grave violation of international law, an unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of states, and a blatant violation of all meanings of good neighborliness.

He once again called on Iran to immediately comply with the Security Council resolution and bear full responsibility for the damage and losses caused by these unlawful attacks, requiring compensation and reparation according to what international law stipulates in these cases.

Aboul Gheit stressed that the Arab League considers attacking any Arab country or exercising threats and intimidation against its civilian population an attack on all Arab countries.

He said: “We all stand united in solidarity with the countries that have been subjected to sinful attacks, and we offer our appreciation and salute to the leaders and peoples who showed steadfastness and bravery in the face of an attack that did not – unfortunately – adhere to the most basic ethics of war. It directed its fire at civilians and civilian facilities without discrimination or scruples of conscience or morals.”