Paris: Within the framework of the Kingdom of Bahrain's presidency of the 46th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its chairmanship of the Arab Group, and at the request of Ambassador Essam Abdulaziz Al Jassim, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the French Republic and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, the Permanent Representatives of the GCC states to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) met with Khaled El Anany, Director-General of UNESCO, at the Organisation's headquarters in Paris. The meeting discussed the repercussions of the reprehensible Iranian attacks against GCC states within the areas of the Organisation's mandate and reviewed the implications of these attacks on the sectors of education, culture, media, and science.
According to Bahrain News Agency, El Anany affirmed that UNESCO continues to closely monitor the current developments in all areas falling under its mandate in the Middle East and beyond, while maintaining its commitment to preserving and protecting cultural and natural heritage, particularly sites inscribed on the World Heritage List in countries of the region and elsewhere, and to ensuring the safety of those working in this field.
For his part, Ambassador Essam Abdulaziz Al Jassim stated that the repeated and indiscriminate Iranian attacks targeting civilian sites, residential areas, and vital facilities constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of states and of the provisions of international law, and represent a serious escalation that threatens regional and international security and stability, as well as efforts aimed at safeguarding cultural and human heritage.
The Permanent Representatives of the GCC states affirmed the Council countries' commitment to strengthening partnership and cooperation with UNESCO, stressing the importance of the Organisation fulfilling its role within its mandate and competencies, particularly in light of the escalation of the reprehensible Iranian attacks in the region. They emphasised that such efforts would contribute to protecting the sectors of education, culture, media, and science, as well as safeguarding cultural and human heritage.