Jeddah summit urges Iran to abide by good neighborliness, keep region free of WMDs

The closing statement of the Jeddah summit has called for abiding by the rules of good neighborliness in the region, urging Iran to keep the region free of weapons of mass destruction.

The leaders who participated in the Jeddah Security and Development Summit also stressed the importance of taking all necessary measures to preserve security in the Middle East.

They also renewed their call on Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to keep the region free of weapons of mass destruction.

The summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia, kicked off on Saturday with the participation of six GCC countries plus Egypt, Jordan and Iraq – also known as GCC+3. U.S. President Joe Biden and other U.S. officials who arrived in the Kingdom on Friday also took part in the regional summit.

In the the summit communique, the leaders also affirmed the importance of achieving security and stabilizing energy markets. They also noted efforts by OPEC+ that aim to stabilize oil markets in a matter that serves consumer and producer interests.

Meanwhile, the Jeddah summit leaders noted Saudi Arabia’s leading role in achieving consensus within OPEC+.

The communique included several others points that were addressed in the joint statement following the summit:

1. The leaders welcomed Biden’s emphasis on the importance the U.S. places on its decades-old strategic partnerships in the Middle East, the U.S.’ enduring commitment to the security and defense of the GCC+3 partners, and the U.S.’ recognition of the region’s central role in connecting the Indo-Pacific with Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

2. The leaders affirmed their common vision for a region of peace and prosperity. This requires taking all necessary measures in order to preserve the region’s security and stability, develop means of cooperation and integration between its countries, jointly address the challenges it faces, and adhere to the rules of good neighborliness, mutual respect and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

3. President Biden reiterated the U.S.’ commitment to work towards achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East. The leaders stressed the need to reach a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, stressing the importance of the Arab initiative. The leaders also stressed the need to stop all unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution, and to respect the historical status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, and the main role of the Hashemite guardianship in this context. The leaders pointed to the importance of supporting the Palestinian economy and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). President Biden praised the important roles in the peace process of Jordan, Egypt, and the countries of the GCC countries, and their support for the Palestinian people and its institutions.

4. The leaders renewed their determination to develop cooperation, regional integration and joint projects between their countries in a way that contributes to achieving sustainable development, collectively addressing climate challenges by accelerating environmental ambitions, and supporting innovation and partnerships, including using the circular carbon economy approach and the development of renewable sources of energy. In this context, the leaders praised the electrical interconnection agreements between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the GCC countries and Iraq, between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and both Jordan and Egypt, and the electricity grid connection between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.