Gulf Cooperation Council urges restraint after Iranian attack on Israel

RIYADH

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, urged all concerned parties Sunday to exercise restraint following Iran’s airborne attack against Israel.

Budaiwi said the GCC “emphasises the importance of preserving regional and global security and stability in light of recent and rapid developments in the Middle East.”

He called on “all parties to exercise maximum self-restraint to prevent any further escalation that could threaten the region's stability and the safety of its people.”

Budaiwi stressed “the need for all parties to make joint efforts and adopt diplomacy as an effective means to settle disputes and ensure the region's security and stability.”

He also underscored “the role of the international community in supporting peace and stability efforts to avoid any consequences that could lead to further escalation.”

Iran began an airborne attack Saturday against Israel in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital. The strike killed at least seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two top generals.

Tehran has accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed to respond. Tel Aviv has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack but it has for months carried out several strikes against Iranian targets across Syria.

Iran and Hezbollah, its main ally in Lebanon, have said the attack will not go unpunished.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi