Prince's Representative: Iran's Aggressive Attacks Are a Policy Aimed at Undermining the Foundations of Life
The representative of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, stated that the State of Kuwait, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have been subjected since last February to a heinous Iranian aggression involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, despite not being parties to the ongoing conflict in the region. This constitutes a clear violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Charter.
These remarks were made in a speech delivered by the representative of His Highness the Amir at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the headquarters of the international organization in New York. The full text of the speech is as follows:
It is my pleasure to begin by conveying the greetings of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and preserve him, and His Highness’s wishes for the success of this session. We congratulate Dr. Khalil Mahmud and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on his election as President of the General Assembly, and we affirm our support for him and his wise choice of the theme for this session: “Restoring Trust and Managing Transformation… A United Nations that serves the interests of all.”
We also express our gratitude to Inalini Berbouk for the commendable efforts she exerted during her presidency of the previous session. We must also commend the efforts of the Secretary-General and his initiatives and endeavors to strengthen multilateral international cooperation, such as the UN80 initiative, the Pact for the Future, and the ongoing efforts to address global challenges and crises, including conflicts, wars, climate change, and terrorism, as well as assisting member states in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing international cooperation on artificial intelligence. We hope that these efforts will continue after the end of the Secretary-General’s term at the end of this year, ensuring the continuity of work to reform and develop the organization’s bodies, activate its role, and elevate its performance in fulfilling its responsibilities.
In this context, we emphasize that reform of the Security Council—the body tasked with maintaining international peace and security—has become a necessity to keep pace with the significant increase in the number of member states and the changes that have occurred in international relations since the organization’s establishment. There is an urgent need for the Council to be more representative, effective, and transparent in the performance of its duties.
**Iranian Aggression**
The State of Kuwait, the GCC states, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have been subjected since last February to a heinous Iranian aggression involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, despite not being parties to the ongoing conflict in the region. This constitutes a clear violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Charter.
These brazen attacks—carried out in a systematic and repeated manner—have targeted civilian sites and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, electricity and water stations, and oil installations. This reveals an aggressive approach aimed at disrupting the essentials of life and critical infrastructure. These heinous attacks have resulted in the martyrdom of several individuals and innocent civilians, caused numerous injuries, and inflicted severe material and economic damage.
In a further attempt to harm the economies of the region and the world, and to impact global trade and oil markets, Iran is obstructing maritime navigation and closing the Strait of Hormuz, using it as a pressure card in the war, in violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
In this regard, the State of Kuwait expresses its deep appreciation to the sister and friendly states that have stood by it and shown solidarity, as well as to the states that sponsored Security Council Resolution 2817 and other international resolutions issued by the Human Rights Council and the International Maritime Organization. These resolutions condemned the Iranian aggression as a threat to international peace and security, called for its cessation, affirmed the natural right of states to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, and emphasized the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation without condition.
**Regional Stability**
Driven by the belief that the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf region are fundamental pillars of regional and international security and stability—a reality highlighted by the repercussions of the war and Iranian attacks—the State of Kuwait renews its support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and reaching a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. We commend the efforts and mediation led by our sister state, the State of Qatar, and our friendly state, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We affirm the necessity of reaching sustainable regional understandings based on a firm commitment to the principles of good neighborliness, respect for state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, the renunciation of the use of force or threat thereof, the cessation of support for proxies and militias, and addressing the security concerns of all states in the region, including the Iranian nuclear file, ballistic missiles, and drones. We also emphasize the need to ensure the freedom and safety of navigation and the right of passage through the Straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.
**Good Neighborliness**
The State of Kuwait’s foreign policy is guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly the principles of good neighborliness, respect for state sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs. From this perspective, the State of Kuwait views the sister Republic of Iraq as a neighbor with whom we share close ties, and as a partner in security and stability. Since the fall of the former regime in 2003, we have been committed to supporting Iraq and standing by it in the face of security, political, and economic challenges, in order to restore its regional and international role and standing. We believe that a stable, secure, and prosperous Iraq is a shared interest for Kuwait and the entire region.
In this context, the State of Kuwait commends the steps taken by the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mr. Ali Al-Zaidi, to consolidate state control over weapons and strengthen Iraq’s bilateral relations with neighboring countries. We look forward to enhancing confidence-building measures between the two countries, expanding bilateral relations into broader horizons, and resolving all outstanding issues between them, foremost among which is the completion of the maritime border demarcation beyond Marker 162 in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. We also call for adherence to the bilateral security and technical agreements signed between the two countries, including the Agreement on the Regulation of Maritime Navigation in Khawr Abdullah and the 2008 Security Exchange Protocol, as these serve as legal and practical tools for regulating navigation, protecting the environment, combating terrorism and illicit trafficking in weapons and drugs, and enhancing shared security.
The State of Kuwait calls on Iraq to cooperate with the Secretary-General’s Senior Representative in implementing Security Council Resolution 2792 to achieve progress and desired results in uncovering the fate of Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons, nationals of third countries, and Kuwaiti property, including the National Archive.
**The Palestinian Cause**
The State of Kuwait renews its principled and steadfast position condemning the ongoing violations by the Israeli occupation forces against the brotherly Palestinian people, who continue to suffer under difficult living conditions due to policies of displacement, arrests, and settlement. We call for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan and its subsequent phases, as adopted by the Security Council in Resolution 2803, including the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid, and the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Strip. We affirm that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In this regard, we welcome the measures and decisions taken by the United Kingdom, France, and a number of other states to condemn settlement activities, impose sanctions on settlers involved in acts of violence and terrorism against Palestinians, and impose an import ban on goods and products from the settlements.
The State of Kuwait affirms that achieving just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region remains contingent upon the end of the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable legitimate rights, and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
**Support for Yemen**
The sister Republic of Yemen is witnessing a dangerous military escalation resulting from attacks launched by the Houthi group on several governorates and areas along the western coast, threatening navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In this regard, the State of Kuwait renews its full support for the efforts led by the United Nations to reach a comprehensive and sustainable, Yemeni-led settlement in accordance with the three agreed references and relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216. The State of Kuwait affirms that any political settlement must safeguard Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, put an end to the suffering of its brotherly people, and open up prospects for security, stability, and economic development. We emphasize the importance of safeguarding the security and safety of international maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
**Security of Saudi Arabia**
We also condemn in the strongest terms the attacks by the Houthi group on the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which targeted civilian and economic sites in several cities. In this context, we affirm that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the GCC states.
The State of Kuwait renews its standing with the sister Syrian Arab Republic and welcomes the steps and measures taken by the international community to lift sanctions against Syria and remove its name from the list of states sponsoring terrorism. We also affirm our support for all efforts aimed at rebuilding state institutions and advancing a comprehensive and inclusive political process under Syrian leadership, with the effective participation of all components of the Syrian people, in a manner that meets their legitimate aspirations for security, stability, and dignified living.
In the same context, we emphasize the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and the unity and integrity of its territory. We condemn and reject the attacks and incursions by Israeli occupation forces into Syrian territory, as this constitutes a dangerous escalation and a violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and undermines security and stability in the region.
Regarding the sister Republic of Lebanon, the State of Kuwait affirms the importance of the Lebanese state institutions and the necessity of enabling them to exercise their full authority over all its territory and consolidating state control over weapons, thereby strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty and preserving its security and stability.
In this regard, we also emphasize the importance of maintaining an independent international presence along the Blue Line to ensure the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. We renew our call for Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories.
**Peaceful Solutions**
Regarding the developments in the Republic of Sudan, the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the State of Libya, we affirm the necessity of adhering to peaceful solutions and engaging in political dialogues to resolve differences in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the rules of international law, ensuring the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of these sister states.
**Authentic Constants**
Since its independence, the State of Kuwait has established its foreign policy on solid constants characterized by moderation, balance, a firm commitment to the United Nations Charter and international law, support for multilateral international cooperation, and the belief that dialogue and the peaceful settlement of disputes are the optimal means of safeguarding international peace and security.
The State of Kuwait also believes in the complementary relationship between security and development: there is no security without development, and no development without security.
Driven by this vision, Kuwait has embodied its developmental and humanitarian diplomacy through the pioneering role of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which has contributed since 1961 to financing development projects in 107 countries around the world. We believe that addressing the root causes of crises is not limited to security approaches but requires supporting development programs, providing the prerequisites for dignified living, and building communities that are more resilient and stable.
**Vision 2035**
On the national front, Kuwait is confidently moving forward to achieve Kuwait Vision 2035 by accelerating the implementation of development projects, diversifying its economy and sources of income, continuing the digital transformation, empowering women and youth, developing its legislative system, and entrenching governance and transparency. This will enhance institutional efficiency and economic competitiveness, and consolidate the State of Kuwait’s position as a leading financial, commercial, and cultural hub in the region.
My country has known the harshness of occupation and the bitterness of aggression, and has suffered from the wars that have swept through our region for four decades. From the reality of its experience, it has realized that it is the peoples who pay the price for conflicts, and it has recognized the importance of the world standing united in defense of justice and adherence to the principles of the Charter and international law.
**Peace and Wisdom**
From the womb of that experience, we have become convinced that peace is a stance dictated by wisdom and protected by capability; that dialogue does not diminish rights but preserves them; and that security is not guarded by force alone, but is entrenched by justice, safeguarded by the rule of law, and protected by the principles of international legitimacy.
The message of the State of Kuwait, which it has believed in in word and deed and will continue to uphold, is that just peace is the path to stability, and that respect for state sovereignty, safeguarding the rights of peoples, and resorting to international law in resolving conflicts are indispensable pillars for the security and stability of states.
The State of Kuwait will remain, as the world has come to know it, a voice of wisdom and moderation; a supporter of dialogue, cooperation, and openness to partnerships that achieve shared interests and benefits; a champion of justice; and a partner in entrenching international peace and security, believing that peace is the path to a future in which rights are protected, homelands are stable, and generations enjoy security and prosperity.
