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STORY: UN / LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES
TRT: 04:39
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 02 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
02 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
“The Middle East is facing multiple and overlapping crises. These crises are causing immense human suffering, civilian casualties and serious disruption beyond the region. In this context, the role of regional organizations as envisaged in chapter eight of the Charter is more essential than ever. Ending the conflict in Middle East is in the vital interest of the international community. Their consequences are already grave, and the destruction and suffering continue to grow each day.”
5. Wide shot, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
“The Secretary-General has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the current war. He has also called on the parties to recommit to a diplomatic track that addresses the security and concerns of all affected parties, including countries in the region.”
7. Pan right, Council
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
“The Arab region, Mr. president, regrettably faces today a serious and unprecedented challenge in both its severity and impact. Regrettably, once again, Iran continues its daily attacks with missiles and drones against a number of Arab states in a blatant and egregious violation of international law, international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations.”
9. Med shot, United States Representative
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
“These Iranian attacks cannot be accepted or justified under any pretext or claim. Cannot be accepted or justified under any pretext or claim, especially since Arab states have maintained a policy of good neighbourliness and have clearly declared the rejection of war against Iran.”
11. Wide shot, Council
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
“We hold Iran fully responsible for all consequences arising from these attacks, in accordance with the Charter and international law.”
13. Wide shot, Council
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
“We call upon Iran to immediately cease all attacks against commercial vessels, and to refrain from any attempt to impede lawful passage or undermine freedom of navigation in accordance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
11. Med shot, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
“The Strait of Hormuz crisis has once again revealed to the world the extent of the inextricable link between Middle Eastern security and the interests of the global economy. Sustainable and comprehensive security in the Middle East is a global necessity, not a merely regional concern.”
13. Wide shot, Council
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain:
“We continue to face a dangerous escalation as a result of the ongoing illegal Iranian attacks on a number of Arab countries, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, in a flagrant violation of sovereignty and a direct threat to regional and international security.”
15. Med shot, Khiari
16. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain:
“We stress the importance of the Security Council continuing to carry out its responsibilities in addressing these attacks, ensuring accountability and maintaining security and stability in the region. The Iranian attacks in the Arab Gulf region have repercussions that go beyond the borders of the targeted countries. They affect the security and stability of the entire region. In this context, we call on Iran to stop supporting and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries.”
17. Wide shot, end of Council meeting
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, today (2 Apr) told the Security Council that Iranian attacks on Gulf states “cannot be accepted or justified under any pretext or claim, “and held Iran “fully responsible for all consequences arising from these attacks, in accordance with the Charter and international law.”
Opening today’s Council meeting on Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations (League of Arab States), United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said the Middle East “is facing multiple and overlapping crises,” which are causing “immense human suffering, civilian casualties and serious disruption beyond the region.”
Khiari said the role of regional organizations was “more essential than ever,” and stressed that “ending the conflict in Middle East is in the vital interest of the international community.”
He noted that Secretary-General António Guterres “has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the current war” and for the parties “to recommit to a diplomatic track that addresses the security and concerns of all affected parties, including countries in the region.”
Gheit, in his address to the Council, said the Arab region “regrettably faces today a serious and unprecedented challenge in both its severity and impact” as Iran “continues its daily attacks with missiles and drones against a number of Arab states in a blatant and egregious violation of international law, international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations.”
He told the Council that “Arab states have maintained a policy of good neighbourliness and have clearly declared the rejection of war against Iran.
The League of Arab States Chief called upon Iran “to immediately cease all attacks against commercial vessels, and to refrain from any attempt to impede lawful passage or undermine freedom of navigation in accordance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
He said “the Strait of Hormuz crisis has once again revealed to the world the extent of the inextricable link between Middle Eastern security and the interests of the global economy. Sustainable and comprehensive security in the Middle East is a global necessity, not a merely regional concern.”
For his part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, said, “we continue to face a dangerous escalation as a result of the ongoing illegal Iranian attacks on a number of Arab countries, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, in a flagrant violation of sovereignty and a direct threat to regional and international security.”
Al-Zayani, who presided today’s Council meeting, stressed “the importance of the Security Council continuing to carry out its responsibilities in addressing these attacks, ensuring accountability and maintaining security and stability in the region.”
He said, “the Iranian attacks in the Arab Gulf region have repercussions that go beyond the borders of the targeted countries. They affect the security and stability of the entire region. In this context, we call on Iran to stop supporting and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries.”
A Presidential statement was issued after the meeting
The Council is expected vote tomorrow on a draft resolution tabled by Bahrain that would authorise member states to use all necessary means to secure transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
