GCC Against Iran Sanctions: Attiyah
by P.K. Abdul Ghafour from Arab News
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council yesterday reiterated its stance on reaching a negotiated settlement to the standoff between Iran and the West over Iran’s nuclear program and opposed plans to impose sanctions on Tehran. “GCC states don’t want to see any brotherly or friendly country subjected to sanctions,” said Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah, secretary-general of the group, in reference to Iran. “The GCC wants a peaceful dialogue to resolve all the problems liable to affect international security and stability.” He said the GCC was studying prospects of signing a free-trade agreement with Iran. “The last foreign ministers’ meeting in Riyadh asked a committee comprising economy and trade ministers to discuss the Iranian proposal on setting up a free-trade zone,” he added.