A coalition of 12 Arab and Islamic nations on Thursday strongly condemned Iran for what they described as “heinous” attacks involving missile and drone strikes on civilian targets. They urged Tehran to refrain from further aggression.
Following a consultative session in Riyadh, foreign ministers from Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates released a joint statement. They accused Iran of intentionally targeting residential areas, oil facilities, airports, and diplomatic sites throughout the region.
The ministers underscored the affected nations’ right to self-defense as outlined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. They also called for Iran to immediately cease its attacks and comply with international law.
The meeting, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 18, 2026, aimed to address and reduce military tensions in the Middle East. The gathering highlighted the urgency of the situation as regional leaders sought a peaceful resolution.
Additionally, the ministers appealed to Iran to respect their territorial sovereignty, halt support for allied militias within Arab states, and avoid any actions that could jeopardize maritime safety. This includes critical areas such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, essential routes for global maritime trade.
They also called on Tehran to respect their territorial sovereignty, cease support for affiliated militias in Arab countries and avoid actions that could threaten maritime security, including in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, a key global shipping route linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The statement further expressed support for Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty, while also condemning Israel’s actions in the country and its “expansionist policy in the region.”
“The Ministers reaffirm their commitment to continuing intensive consultation and coordination in this regard, to monitor developments and assess emerging issues in a way that ensure the formulation of common positions and the adoption of necessary legitimate measures and procedures to protect their security, stability, and sovereignty, and to halt the Iranian heinous attacks on their territories,” the joint statement reads.
Qatar Energy facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City on Mar. 3, 2026, after the company halted LNG production at Ras Laffan and Mesaieed sites following reported Iranian attacks. (Stringer/Getty)
It comes a day after Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, prompting Iranian retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, including Doha’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest LNG production facility.
Oil prices surged Thursday morning following the strikes, with Brent crude rising to $114.08 a barrel and U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude climbing to $97.41.
Gas prices are displayed at a station in Brooklyn, New York City, on Mar. 18, 2026, as global fuel costs rise amid disruptions linked to the Iran conflict and shipping constraints in the Strait of Hormuz. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Israel would halt further strikes on Iran’s South Pars gas field unless Tehran escalates, warning that the United States could respond with overwhelming force if Qatar’s LNG facilities are targeted again.
“The United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before,” Trump wrote. “I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so.”
