GCC secretary-general condemns ‘unacceptable’ Iranian attacks on member states

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi. (GCC)
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Updated 03 March 2026
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GCC secretary-general condemns ‘unacceptable’ Iranian attacks on member states

  • Iranian attacks on GCC member states are a stark indication of Iran’s malicious intentions towards GCC countries, Al-Budaiwi said

RIYADH: The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned “unacceptable” Iranian attacks on member states targeting civilian and diplomatic facilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

An attack from two drones on the US Embassy in Riyadh caused a “limited fire,” on Tuesday according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry. It followed an attack on the US Embassy in Kuwait that announced Tuesday it had been closed until further notice.

These attacks constitute a clear violation of all international and UN laws pertaining to diplomatic missions, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said.

Al-Budaiwi also condemned attacks on civilian and residential facilities in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar.

He said Iranian attacks on GCC member states are a stark indication of Iran’s malicious intentions towards GCC countries and its persistent efforts to destabilize security and stability in the region and the world.

He emphasized that targeting the territories of GCC member states is unacceptable under any pretext or justification, and that Iran must immediately cease its barbaric attacks.

He reiterated the solidarity of all GCC member states and their unified stance in confronting these brutal Iranian attacks to defend their sovereignty, security, and national interests.


The art of war: fears for masterpieces on loan to Louvre Abu Dhabi

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The art of war: fears for masterpieces on loan to Louvre Abu Dhabi

  • UAE paid more than €1 billion to borrow priceless works, but experts in France want them back

PARIS: The Middle East war has raised fears for the safety of priceless masterpieces on loan from France to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the museum’s only foreign branch.
The Abu Dhabi museum, which opened in 2017, has so far escaped damage from nearly 1,800 Iranian drone and missile strikes launched since the conflict erupted on Feb. 28.
However, concerns are mounting in France. “The works must be removed,” said Didier Selles, who helped broker the original agreement between France and the UAE.
French journal La Tribune de l’Art echoed that alarm. “The Louvre’s works in Abu Dhabi must be secured!” it said.
France’s culture ministry said French authorities were “in close and regular contact with the authorities of the UAE to ensure the protection of the works loaned by France.”
Under the agreement with the UAE, France agreed to provide expertise, lend works of art and organize exhibitions, in return for €1 billion, including €400 million for licensing the use of the Louvre name. The deal was extended in 2021 to 2047 for an additional €165 million.
Works on loan include paintings by Rembrandt and Chardin, Classical statues of Isis, Roman sarcophagi and Islamic masterpieces: such as the Pyxis of Al-Mughira.

A Louvre Abu Dhabi source said the museum was designed to protect collections from both security threats and natural disasters.