The U.S. State Department announced that a meeting of senior officials from the United States and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council took place as part of a working group focused on Iranian affairs. The statement clarified that the participants agreed that Iran's support for armed groups across the region, along with its ballistic missile, nuclear, and drone programs, represents a clear threat to regional security and stability.
The statement noted that Iran and its proxies have utilized ballistic missiles and drones against civilians, infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, and international navigation in the Sea of Oman. The meeting emphasized a shared determination to contribute to regional security and stability. The joint Gulf-US statement condemned "the aggressive and dangerous policies" pursued by Tehran, including "the deployment and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles" and drones.
Negotiations aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and major powers are scheduled to resume on November 29 in Vienna. The Vienna Agreement allowed for the lifting of many sanctions imposed on Iran in exchange for curbing its nuclear activities and ensuring the peaceful nature of its program. However, the effects of the agreement have been effectively nullified since 2018, when the United States unilaterally withdrew from it under former President Donald Trump and reimposed severe sanctions on Iran.
