(P)GCC Censured for Ignoring Real Muslim Issues

Iran denounced the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council for turning a blind eye to the real issues of the Muslim world, particularly the Palestine crisis, at this sensitive juncture and for fabricating baseless accusations against Iran and others.

In a statement on Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi rejected the final statement of the 38th (P)GCC Summit, which ended in Kuwait on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

“Instead of addressing the main issues of the Muslim world, supporting the oppressed Palestinian people and [condemning] the provocative plan for the relocation of US Embassy to Beit-ul-Moqaddas, the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council has merely addressed issues that have no value, and explicitly evaded its Islamic and humane responsibility with regard to Palestine,” he said.

The statement came hours after US President Donald Trump defied global warnings and said the US formally recognizes Beit-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) as the “capital” of Israel, and will begin the process of moving its embassy to the occupied city, breaking with decades of American policy.

While the closing statement of the latest (P)GCC summit failed to condemn Trump’s previously announced plans, it mainly focused on repeating allegations against Iran over its growing regional influence as well the Arab bloc’s uncorroborated accusations against Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance group and Yemen’s Ansarullah movement.

 Ineffective Council

Qasemi noted that the recent (P)GCC statement “proves the ineffectiveness and impotency of the council, which is already suffering from internal disputes and unrealistic policies.”

The diplomat also pointed to the Saudi-led war against Yemen, which has led to the killing of thousands of people in the impoverished country since 2015, slamming the council for keeping silent on the everyday crimes of Riyadh and its accomplices.

Qasemi called on (P)GCC to understand the realities of the region, prevent its member states from invading other countries and respect the civil rights of their own citizens. The senior diplomat also condemned the (P)GCC’s claims on Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, and said, “Such baseless and false claims cannot change historical and legal facts.”

Qasemi expressed Iran’s preparedness to hold dialogue with (P)GCC members to resolve regional issues, noting that “the use of force, massacre of nations and reliance on foreigners” cannot help settle regional conflicts.