Kuwait Crown Prince condemns Iranian attacks on GCC states at UN
Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, said Kuwait, other Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan have faced Iranian aggression since last February despite not being parties to the conflict in the region.
Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, he said Iranian attacks using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones were a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.
He conveyed the greetings of the Amir to newly elected UN General Assembly President Dr. Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh and wished him success in reforming the UN and restoring trust in the organization.
He said the Iranian attacks systematically and repeatedly targeted civilian property and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, power and water stations and oil facilities. He said the attacks reflected an approach aimed at disrupting life and vital infrastructure.
The attacks claimed lives, injured civilians and caused major material damage, he said.
He also said Iran was obstructing maritime navigation and closing the Strait of Hormuz to use it as leverage in the war. He said this violated international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions and sought to harm the economies of countries in the region and the wider world, as well as international trade and oil markets.
Kuwait expressed appreciation for friendly and fraternal countries that had stood by it and shown solidarity. It also thanked the sponsors of Security Council Resolution 2817 and other resolutions issued by the Human Rights Council and the International Maritime Organization.
Sheikh Sabah said those resolutions condemned the Iranian aggression as a threat to international peace and security, called for an end to the attacks, affirmed the inherent right of states to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and stressed the importance of unrestricted freedom of navigation.
He said Kuwait considers the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf a fundamental pillar of regional and international peace and stability. Kuwait supports diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
He commended the efforts and mediation of Qatar and Pakistan and called for sustainable regional understandings based on good-neighborliness, respect for state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, refraining from the use or threat of force and ending support for proxies and militias.
He also called for the security concerns of all countries in the region to be addressed, including Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft.
Kuwait stressed the need to ensure freedom and safety of navigation and the right of passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab El-Mandeb Strait in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Kuwait’s foreign policy
On Kuwait’s foreign policy, Sheikh Sabah said the country adheres to and is guided by the principles of the UN Charter, particularly respect for good-neighborliness, state sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.
He described Iraq as a brotherly neighboring country with which Kuwait shares close relations and as a partner in security and stability.
Since the fall of the former regime in 2003, Kuwait has supported Iraq in confronting its security, political and economic challenges, with the aim of restoring its regional and international role and standing. He said a stable, secure and prosperous Iraq represents a shared interest for Kuwait and the region.
Kuwait commended steps taken by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaydi to place weapons exclusively in the hands of the state and strengthen Iraq’s bilateral relations with neighboring countries.
Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait looked forward to strengthening confidence-building measures between the two countries, advancing bilateral relations and resolving outstanding issues, particularly completing the demarcation of the maritime boundary beyond Marker 162 in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He also stressed the importance of complying with bilateral security and technical agreements and understandings, particularly the Agreement Regulating Navigation in Khor Abdullah and the 2008 Security Exchange Protocol.
He said the agreements are legal and practical instruments for regulating navigation, protecting the environment, combating terrorism and illicit trafficking in arms and drugs, and enhancing common security.
Kuwait called on Iraq to cooperate with the High-Level Representative of the UN Secretary-General under Security Council Resolution 2792 to determine the fate of Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons, as well as nationals of third countries, and to recover Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.
On Palestine, Sheikh Sabah renewed Kuwait’s principled and steadfast position condemning recurrent violations by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians, who continue to face difficult living conditions under policies of displacement, arrests and settlement expansion.
Kuwait called for the full implementation of the comprehensive peace plan and its subsequent phases adopted by the Security Council in Resolution 2803.
This includes the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces from the Gaza Strip, ensuring the flow of humanitarian assistance and the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Strip.
Kuwait also reaffirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Sheikh Sabah welcomed measures and decisions taken by the United Kingdom, France and several other states condemning settlement activities, imposing sanctions on settlers involved in violence and terrorism against Palestinians, and banning imports of goods and products from settlements.
He said achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region remains contingent upon ending the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, enabling Palestinians to exercise their legitimate and inalienable rights and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Yemen and Syria
On Yemen, Sheikh Sabah said the brotherly republic is witnessing a dangerous military escalation following attacks by the Houthi group against several areas along the western coast, threatening navigation in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
Kuwait renewed its full support for UN-led efforts to reach a comprehensive and sustainable settlement led by Yemenis, in accordance with the three agreed references and relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216.
He said any political settlement should preserve Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, end the suffering of its people and open avenues for security, stability and economic development.
Kuwait also stressed the importance of safeguarding international maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
Sheikh Sabah condemned the attacks carried out by the Houthi group against Saudi Arabia, targeting civilian and economic facilities in several cities.
He said the security of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of the security of Kuwait and the GCC states.
On Syria, Sheikh Sabah reaffirmed Kuwait’s support for the country and welcomed international measures to lift sanctions imposed on Syria and remove its name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Kuwait also supported efforts to rebuild Syrian state institutions and advance an inclusive and comprehensive political process led by Syrians with the effective participation of all components of the Syrian people.
He stressed the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and the unity and territorial integrity of its land.
Kuwait condemned and rejected attacks and incursions by Israeli occupation forces into Syrian territory, saying they represented a dangerous escalation, violated the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and contributed to undermining regional security and stability.
Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia and Libya
Regarding Lebanon, Sheikh Sabah stressed the importance of state institutions and the need to enable them to exercise full authority over all Lebanese territory, while ensuring that arms remain exclusively in the hands of the state.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining an independent international presence along the Blue Line to ensure full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Kuwait renewed its call for Israel to withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories.
Regarding Sudan, Somalia and Libya, Sheikh Sabah reaffirmed the need to adhere to peaceful solutions and engage in political dialogue to resolve disputes in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and international law.
He said such efforts should guarantee the unity and territorial integrity of the three countries and their sovereignty.
Moderation and balance
Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait’s foreign policy is based on firm principles centered on moderation and balance, adherence to the UN Charter and international law, support for multilateral action and the belief that dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes are among the most effective means of preserving international peace and security.
He said Kuwait believes in a complementary relationship between security and development, adding that there can be no security without development and no development without security.
He highlighted Kuwait’s development and humanitarian diplomacy through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which since 1961 has contributed to financing development projects in 107 countries.
He said Kuwait believes that addressing the root causes of crises cannot be limited to security-based approaches and requires supporting development programs, providing the foundations for a dignified life and building societies that are more capable of resilience and stability.
At the national level, Kuwait is moving toward achieving Kuwait Vision 2035 by accelerating development projects, diversifying its economy and sources of income, continuing digital transformation, empowering women and youth, developing its legislative framework and strengthening governance and transparency.
These efforts seek to enhance institutional efficiency and economic competitiveness and consolidate Kuwait’s position as a leading financial, commercial and cultural hub in the region.
Hardship of occupation
Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait has experienced the hardship of occupation and the bitterness of aggression and has suffered from wars that have affected the region for four decades.
He said this experience had shown Kuwait that peoples are the ones who pay the price of conflicts.
He stressed the importance of the world standing united in support of justice and adherence to the UN Charter and international law.
He said Kuwait has developed a conviction that peace is a position dictated by wisdom and protected by strength, that dialogue does not diminish rights but safeguards them, and that security is not protected by force alone but is strengthened by justice, safeguarded by the rule of law and protected by international legitimacy.
He said Kuwait’s message is that just peace is the path to stability, while respect for state sovereignty, protection of peoples’ rights and recourse to international law in resolving conflicts are indispensable pillars for the security and stability of states.
Kuwait, he said, will remain a voice of wisdom and moderation, supporting dialogue, cooperation and openness to partnerships that advance shared interests and mutual benefits, standing in support of justice and serving as a partner in consolidating international peace and security.
He concluded by saying this reflects Kuwait’s conviction that peace is the path toward a future in which rights are protected, nations enjoy stability and generations live in security and prosperity