Istanbul: Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), has emphasized the need for decisive action against threats to state sovereignty and stability, stressing that hope, peace, and justice for future generations cannot be preserved through rhetoric alone. Speaking at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, Ghobash warned about repeated Iranian aggressions that destabilize the Gulf region and risk turning international waterways into tools of pressure and blackmail.
According to Emirates News Agency, Ghobash stated that the international community no longer views attacks on sovereignty and freedom of navigation as isolated incidents but as assaults on the foundations of the international order. He cited the UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026) and the Human Rights Council Resolution 38 of 2026 as evidence of the global concern over these issues. He argued that such acts undermine a system designed to safeguard sovereignty, protect civilians, ensure freedom of navigation, and prevent the misuse of power for political and economic blackmail.
Ghobash highlighted specific targets of these aggressions, including civilian objects and facilities such as airports, ports, energy facilities, vital infrastructure, desalination plants, food security centers, and industrial hubs. He noted that these actions have further extended to disrupting the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for nearly one-fifth of global energy trade and key supplies like fertilizers, particularly affecting countries in the Global South.
The FNC Speaker issued a strong warning against leniency in confronting these practices, suggesting that viewing threats against states or the disruption of key routes as tools for political gains could set a dangerous precedent. Such acceptance, he argued, would blur accepted norms and replace rules with faits accomplis.
While welcoming the truce between the United States and Iran and monitoring ongoing negotiations, Ghobash emphasized that any settlement must address the rights and concerns of affected states to ensure credibility and long-term stability. He described closing the Strait of Hormuz as an act of blackmail and aggressive behavior, highlighting its significance as a vital artery for the global economy, energy security, and international stability. He asserted that international maritime corridors must not be held hostage by any single party, urging the global community to reject policies based on threats and coercion.
Ghobash called on Iran to cease such actions, provide guarantees of non-recurrence, and offer full reparations, including compensation for economic losses incurred by affected countries. He urged member parliaments to adopt a clear and responsible stance condemning systematic Iranian attacks on the sovereignty of countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
He also advocated for the activation of international accountability to protect maritime corridors and prevent their exploitation as tools for blackmail, deeming them a "red line" that must not be crossed in any conflict. Concluding his remarks, Ghobash underscored that lasting peace requires political will, justice, respect for sovereignty, and adherence to international law, emphasizing that peace can only be built on fairness and sustained through responsibility.