A joint Gulf-American statement confirmed on Thursday its support for the efforts of the Iraqi government, headed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, to ensure that weapons are exclusively in the hands of the state, stressing the importance of preventing the use of Iraqi territory to threaten the security of neighboring countries.
This came during the joint ministerial meeting between the United States and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, held in the Bahraini capital Manama, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, head of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, with the participation of the foreign ministers of the Gulf states and the Secretary-General of the Council, Jassim Al-Budaiwi.
The statement, which (Al-Mada) followed, condemned the attacks carried out by armed factions in Iraq against Gulf Cooperation Council states, including drone attacks that targeted civilian facilities, vital infrastructure, and facilities related to the energy sector.
The ministers also renewed their support for the measures taken by the Iraqi government to ensure that weapons are exclusively in the hands of the state and to prevent non-governmental armed groups from exploiting Iraqi territory to carry out attacks or threaten the security and stability of the countries of the region.
The statement pointed to the importance of enhancing the security of the region by supporting Iraqi state institutions and consolidating the rule of law, which contributes to achieving regional stability and strengthening cooperative relations between Iraq and neighboring countries.
