Opening the forum, Albudaiwi said the meeting comes at a critical time as Iran continues to pursue escalation rather than diplomacy and dialogue. He reaffirmed the GCC's commitment to dialogue and said the Gulf states look forward to strengthening consultation and coordination with the European Union in addressing Iran's actions in the region.

Stronger strategic partnership

Albudaiwi said the GCC-EU strategic partnership should enter a new phase, building on relations established in 1988, particularly in light of recent regional developments.

He noted that Iranian attacks on GCC oil facilities and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have had global economic consequences, prompting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to lower its 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1 percent due to the disruption of one of the world's most important energy routes.

He added that the crisis has evolved from a regional challenge into a global economic shock, affecting both GCC and European economies and highlighting the need for a coordinated response.

Six priorities for Gulf-EU cooperation

Albudaiwi outlined six priorities to strengthen Gulf-European relations: coordinated political and diplomatic action, regional security cooperation, enhanced connectivity through trade corridors and alternative routes, energy cooperation, learning lessons from the current crisis, and expanding people-to-people ties through accelerated visa-free mobility.

Partnership beyond security

Concluding his remarks, Albudaiwi said GCC-EU cooperation should extend beyond security to broader economic and strategic integration, creating greater resilience, stability and prosperity for both regions.