Iran slams joint US-GCC statement as 'interventionist, irresponsible and provocative'
Iran has denounced a joint statement from the United States and Gulf Cooperation Council, calling it interventionist and accusing Washington and its allies of using diplomacy to pressure Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected the joint communique issued after a US-GCC ministerial meeting in Bahrain on June 25, describing it as “interventionist, irresponsible and provocative.” The ministry said the statement distorted regional realities and repeated US and Israeli positions on Iran’s nuclear program, missile capabilities, regional allies, and the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement followed talks in Manama co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, with participation from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The ministers welcomed the June 17 Memorandum of Understanding between Washington and Tehran but tied any future economic engagement with Iran to strict conditions. They said “any trade and investment with Iran is conditional and reversible” and reaffirmed “the shared objective of preventing Iran from ever developing or otherwise acquiring a nuclear weapon.”
The statement also called for addressing “the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region.” It rejected any attempts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing free navigation. Regarding Lebanon, it called for “the full disarmament of all such groups” – an apparent reference to Hezbollah – and the restoration of Lebanon’s state monopoly on force.
Iran responded by urging GCC states to work toward a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East, noting Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Gulf states were mistaken in seeking protection from the US, which he called “the greatest violator of security.” He stressed that Iran’s national security and dignity are non-negotiable, and that defense capabilities are not subject to bargaining.
Tehran also criticized the statement for labeling Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups as “Iranian proxies,” arguing that such language ignores Israeli occupation and attacks. On the Strait of Hormuz, Iran said disruptions resulted directly from US and Israeli military action, and that future management would be governed by the MoU’s Article 5, which involves dialogue with Oman.
Iran warned that US bases in the Gulf make host countries vulnerable, noting that Iran has struck 20 US military sites since the war began. The US maintains about 40,000 troops in the region, rising to over 50,000 after President Donald Trump escalated the war against Iran.
