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Prince Faisal bin Farhan told the UN General Assembly that Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region had been the target of “flagrant Iranian attacks” targeting security resources as well as civilian and economic facilities.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s right to protect its security and sovereignty, citizens, population and national resources, while urging the international community to confront threats to international peace and security.
“The security of the Gulf region is an inseparable part of the security of the region and the world in general,” he said.
Protecting vital waterways
The Foreign Minister emphasized that stability in the Gulf is directly related to global energy security, international trade and supply chains.
He called for freedom of navigation in international waters, highlighting the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and rejected their use by any party as instruments of pressure or threats.
He also called for the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to return to its pre-February 28 status, “without any costs or restrictions.”
Despite the tensions, he supported efforts to de-escalate tensions, including initiatives undertaken by Qatar, Pakistan and other countries, and advocated comprehensive and sustainable regional security arrangements to address the main causes of instability.
He also called for the entire region to be free from weapons of mass destruction and that peaceful nuclear programs must be subject to international supervision and safeguards.
Gaza and Yemen
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Minister of Foreign Affairs condemned the targeting of civilians, obstruction of humanitarian assistance, attempted forced displacement and expansion of settlements.
He said a just and lasting peace could only be achieved through a two-state solution and the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Regarding Yemen, he called for a comprehensive political solution to restore stability and reduce suffering, and noted that Saudi Arabia had provided more than $29 billion in humanitarian and development assistance.
He also condemned the missile and drone attacks carried out by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels, and called on the international community to reject actions that threaten navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb.
Energy security and AI
Turning to other challenges, Prince Faisal highlighted the achievements of Saudi Vision 2030 and argued that energy security and climate action must be mutually reinforcing rather than competing with each other.
He called for a realistic energy transition without excluding any sources, pointing to Saudi investments in renewable energy, green hydrogen, carbon capture technology and more resilient infrastructure.
Regarding artificial intelligence, the Foreign Minister urged international cooperation to ensure the technology is used responsibly and in the interests of development, and highlighted Saudi initiatives in AI capacity building and ethics.
In closing, he said that the challenges facing the world cannot be faced by each country acting alone.
Security, he added, can only be maintained through compliance with UN Charterrespect for international law and cooperation aimed at peaceful solutions, stability and sustainable development.
