Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi affirmed that the GCC countries moved immediately to protect supply chains and ensure their continuity by activating a number of alternative logistics corridors and redirecting shipments from the Arabian Gulf ports to alternative ports on the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, supported by customs and logistics facilitation that ensures the flow of supplies and meets international demand for energy and fertilizers during the current circumstances.
This came during a speech delivered by Albudaiwi at the meeting dedicated to discussing a new political initiative entitled “Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers”, held today via videoconference, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic Antonio Tajani and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and current chair of the Mediterranean Group Gordan Grlić Radman.
According to a press release issued by the GCC Secretariat General today, the GCC secretary-general stated that this meeting is being held at a highly critical juncture, in light of the blatant Iranian attacks targeting the GCC countries, and Iran’s continued disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which has clearly revealed the depth of interconnection between regional security issues and the challenges of global food security, SPA reported.
“Since February 28, 2026, Iran and its proxies in the region have launched approximately 7,000 attacks using ballistic missiles and drones against the GCC countries over 45 consecutive days, targeting civilian facilities, infrastructure and energy facilities, including oil and gas, resulting in loss of life and significant material damage, and directly affecting the stability of global energy markets and supply chains, particularly food commodities and agricultural inputs, foremost among them chemical fertilizers,” he said in his speech.
Albudaiwi further stated that the Iranian aggression against the sovereignty of the GCC countries, the disruption of maritime navigation, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz constitute blackmail against the entire world and a clear violation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as a blatant breach of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
The GCC secretary-general commended the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemned these attacks, called for their immediate cessation, and urged refraining from threatening or disrupting maritime navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or adjacent areas, with an unprecedented level of co-sponsorship in the history of the Security Council; nevertheless, Iran has not complied with it to date.
"The damages resulting from the disruption of maritime navigation are not confined to the borders of the GCC states but extend to impact the entire global economy. The world is currently suffering from shortages in the supply of oil, gas, and petrochemical derivatives, including agricultural fertilizers, with urea prices rising by 30% to 40%. This constitutes a direct threat to global food security, where developing nations reliant on energy and food imports will bear the greatest burden of this escalation while already facing inflationary pressures and high sovereign debt obligations," he explained.
The release added that Albudaiwi highlighted the harsh economic measures many countries have been forced to take to mitigate these repercussions, stressing that addressing these challenges requires collective action to develop practical tools, such as supporting price stability and intensifying logistical coordination to ensure the uninterrupted flow of essential goods.
“Today’s meeting serves as a vital opportunity to translate discussions into practical initiatives that enhance connectivity between our countries and support the stability of the region and the world as a space for cooperation and joint development," he stated, underscoring that dialogue and diplomacy remain the optimal means for addressing crises, while emphasizing that Iran must respect the sovereignty of neighboring states and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of GCC countries.
The GCC secretary-general called for considering all necessary measures to achieve the security and stability of supply chains, ensure the continuity of international maritime navigation, and realize global food security, underlining that these measures include ensuring a permanent cessation of Iranian attacks on the territories, ports and interests of GCC states in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and guaranteeing their non-recurrence.
He also highlighted the importance of taking all necessary measures to protect maritime corridors and ensure the continuity of international navigation in all straits, particularly the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, as maintaining maritime and regional security is a fundamental pillar of international peace and security.
Finally, he stressed the significance of committing to the provisions of international law and the concerted efforts of the international community to protect energy security, supply chains and the freedom of navigation in maritime passages in accordance with relevant international resolutions and treaties.
