Iran Condemns US-GCC Statement

Iran has condemned a joint statement issued by the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as 'interventionist, irresponsible and provocative.' The statement, released after a GCC-US ministerial meeting in Bahrain on June 25, addressed concerns about Iran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and regional behavior, while also calling for free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran dismissed Washington's commitment to GCC security as 'mere rhetoric,' arguing that the US military presence is a source of insecurity. Iran also rejected accusations regarding its nuclear program, calling them fabricated by the US and Israel, and criticized the GCC for aligning with Washington and Israel in labeling Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups as 'Iranian proxies.' Tehran reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and that shipping management would be governed by Article 5 of a recently signed memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, which was mediated by Pakistan and Qatar.