WorldPosted at: Sep 27 2026 6:49PM


Saudi Arabia warns Gulf tensions threaten global energy security, trade

New York, Sep 27 (UNI) Saudi Arabia warned that escalating tensions and threats in the Middle East were putting international peace, global energy security and trade at risk, urging stronger international cooperation to protect Gulf states and vital waterways.
Addressing the 81st UN General Assembly, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan condemned what he called “flagrant Iranian attacks” targeting Saudi security resources, as well as civilian and economic facilities, and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s right to protect its sovereignty, citizens, residents and national resources.“The security of the Gulf region is part and parcel of the security of the region and the world at large,” he said.
Prince Faisal stressed that the stability of the Gulf is directly linked to global energy security, international trade and the resilience of supply chains.
“Safeguarding international navigation and the resilience of global supply chains is a shared responsibility that requires serious international cooperation to prevent risks that could affect the global economy,” he said.
The Saudi Foreign Minister called for freedom of navigation in key international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“The Kingdom rejects the use by any party of these vital waterways as an instrument of pressure, threat or harm to the interests of states in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions,” he said.
He also called for the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to return to its status before February 28, “without the imposition of any fees or restrictions”.
Prince Faisal backed diplomatic and mediation efforts aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, including initiatives by Qatar and Pakistan.
“Any arrangements on regional security must be comprehensive, effective and sustainable. They must clearly address the root causes of threats and instability,” he said.
He also called for the Middle East to be free of weapons of mass destruction and said civilian nuclear programmes should remain subject to international oversight and safeguards.
Turning to the Palestinian issue, Prince Faisal condemned the targeting of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, obstruction of humanitarian assistance, attempts at forced displacement and the expansion of settlements.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for a two-State solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Yemen, he called for a comprehensive political solution to restore stability and ease the humanitarian situation, noting that Saudi Arabia had provided more than $29 billion in humanitarian and development assistance to the country.
“We’ve provided humanitarian and development assistance to the Republic of Yemen amounting to more than $29 billion,” he said.
Prince Faisal also condemned missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels, saying such actions threatened freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
“The Kingdom calls upon the international community to reject and condemn all the Houthi terrorist militias, aggressions and criminal acts that threaten the security of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandab Strait,” he said.
On Sudan, he said the conflict could only be resolved through an intra-Sudanese solution based on strengthening state institutions and addressing the humanitarian needs of the population.
He also welcomed the US removal of sanctions on Syria and praised efforts toward reconstruction and development. On Lebanon and Iraq, he called for a state monopoly over arms.
Prince Faisal highlighted Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation programme, saying it had strengthened the Kingdom’s position as a regional and international hub for investment, tourism, industry, technology and logistics.
He said global energy security depended on the ability to withstand disruptions, maintain stable supplies, protect critical infrastructure, diversify supply routes and safeguard freedom of navigation.
“These tasks are a shared responsibility that requires sustained international cooperation,” he said.
He highlighted Saudi investments in infrastructure, including the East-West Pipeline, as contributing to the continuity of energy supplies during disruptions.
The Kingdom was also expanding renewable energy, clean hydrogen and technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage and carbon dioxide removal, he said.
“These efforts support energy security, enhance resource efficiency and contribute to achieving sustainability,” Prince Faisal said.
On artificial intelligence, the Saudi Foreign Minister called for international cooperation to ensure the technology is used responsibly and contributes to human development.
“The Kingdom has taken a leading role in establishing the international network of artificial intelligence capacity-building centers,” he said, highlighting Saudi initiatives on AI research, capacity-building and ethics.
Concluding his address, Prince Faisal said the challenges facing the world could not be addressed by individual countries acting alone.
“The challenges confronting us can’t be addressed by any state on its own; security can only be consolidated and sustained through adherence to the principles upon which the UN Charter is founded, as well as through a respect for international law,” he said.
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