Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar heads the UAE delegation to the Arab League Council meeting at the ministerial level

Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, headed the UAE delegation participating in the meeting of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level in its extraordinary session, held via video communication technology on April 21, 2026, headed by the sister Kingdom of Bahrain, to discuss developments related to the Iranian terrorist attacks that affected a number of countries in the region, and to emphasize Iran’s obligations under the provisions of international law.

He strongly condemned the brutal Iranian terrorist attacks that targeted countries in the region, included civilians and infrastructure, and threatened international sea lanes, stressing that they represent a flagrant violation of international law and cannot be justified or condoned. He also renewed the UAE’s categorical rejection of these Iranian terrorist attacks and held Iran fully legally responsible for its aggression, its repercussions, and its consequences, in accordance with what international law requires.

He pointed out that the Islamic Republic of Iran did not adhere to UN Security Council Resolution No. (2817) of 2026, issued on March 11, 2026, with the support of 136 countries, which called for an end to these attacks, and continued its aggression, targeting civilian areas and vital infrastructure, including energy facilities, airports, ports, communications facilities, housing, and basic services, in addition to diplomatic missions, in a clear violation of the sovereignty of states and the rules of international law. And the Charter of the United Nations.

He stressed that these attacks caused serious damage that requires documentation, evaluation, and reparation in accordance with the provisions of international law, including the resulting disruption of air and sea navigation, a threat to energy security and global supply chains, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the exposure of freedom of trade and economic security to harm.

He stressed that the Arab countries unanimously reject these practices, and affirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully legally responsible for their consequences, in accordance with the rules of international law. He also reaffirmed the right of states to self-defense, individually or collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, and to take the necessary measures to protect their sovereignty, security and stability.

He called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, ensuring Iran’s accountability for its attacks, and taking the necessary measures to compel Iran to fully implement Resolution 2817 and comply with its international obligations.

He also expressed the UAE’s appreciation for the positions of the brotherly and friendly countries that continued and expressed their strong condemnation of these Iranian terrorist attacks, helped our countries defend themselves, and participated in repelling these actions, which constituted a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations and a direct threat to the security and sovereignty of countries and international peace and security.

He stressed that the Arab countries unanimously reject these practices, and affirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully legally responsible for their consequences, in accordance with the rules of international law.

He also reaffirmed the right of states to self-defense, individually or collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, and to take the necessary measures to protect their sovereignty, security and stability.

He pointed out that using sea lanes as a pressure card or tool to threaten economic stability is unacceptable behavior and a serious violation of international freedom of navigation and global energy security, stressing that the continuation of these practices requires a collective international stance to protect stability.

He added that holding responsibility for the repercussions associated with the disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz represents a legal obligation in accordance with the rules of international responsibility, stressing the need to respect international navigation rules in the straits used for international purposes, ensure freedom of transit passage without obstacles, and refrain from any actions that would disrupt this principle.

He stressed that the Strait is a vital strategic corridor for energy supplies and global trade, and that any threat to it directly reflects on the global economy and food and energy security, given the dependence of vast international markets on its flows.

He called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, ensuring accountability for these attacks, and taking the necessary measures to implement its relevant resolutions.

He also expressed the UAE’s appreciation for the positions of the countries that condemned these attacks, stressing the importance of strengthening international coordination to confront threats to the security of countries and the stability of the region.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Arab League Council at the ministerial level renewed its condemnation of the attacks that targeted a number of Arab countries, affirming its full solidarity with them, and considering these attacks a violation of the sovereignty of states and a clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

The Council affirmed that these attacks constitute a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, stressing the responsibility of the state carrying them out, and the necessity of its commitment to redress the resulting damages in accordance with the provisions of international law.

He also affirmed Arab countries’ support for the right of affected countries to resort to relevant international and regional mechanisms, document violations, assess damages, and take the necessary diplomatic and legal measures.

The Council called on Arab and regional organizations to enhance coordination with affected countries to support efforts aimed at protecting security and stability, and assigned the General Secretariat to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations and submit a report on them to the next session of the Council.