EU Voices Support for Gulf States Amid Middle East War

(MENAFN) European Council President Antonio Costa declared unwavering European solidarity with Gulf nations on Sunday, as the region reels from an intensifying conflict that has claimed more than 1,400 lives and reshaped the Middle East's security landscape.

Taking to X, the US-based social media platform, Costa issued a sharp warning directed at Tehran: "The EU stands in solidarity with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the face of continued Iranian airstrikes and drone attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure in the region. These attacks must stop immediately."

The statement followed a direct phone call between Costa and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which the European Council chief reaffirmed Brussels' backing for Abu Dhabi as Gulf states face sustained aerial threats to their territory and infrastructure.

Costa struck a dual tone — firm on accountability, yet measured on resolution — adding: "The EU continues to urge all parties to de-escalate and give diplomacy a chance, in the interest of security and stability in the Middle East."

The escalation traces back to February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran, killing over 1,400 people — among them then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has since unleashed waves of drone and missile counterstrikes against Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting American military installations, inflicting casualties, battering critical infrastructure, and sending shockwaves through global aviation and financial markets.

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