The GCC is preparing to take action against Hezbollah interests in the six country bloc in response to the involvement of the Lebanese political party and militia group fighting against rebel forces in Syria.

“We have called for Hezbollah to pull out of Syria,” says Abdulatif al-Zayani, the secretary-general of the GCC. He added, “Each nation is working on some measures [against Hezbollah] and there will be collective measures taken by the GCC.”

Hezbollah forces have been taking an increasingly prominent role supporting the embattled military of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Their presence has helped Al-Assad score strategic victories over rebels that have been receiving financial support and arms from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Al-Zayani added that the measures would be against “individuals supporting Hezbollah or related to Hezbollah who are residing in the region and also against companies in the financial area and in commerce and trade, who are linked to Hezbollah.”

“This is the unified position of the GCC against the involvement of Hezbollah in Syria,” Al-Zayani added. He declined to comment on how long it would be before these measures are agreed and start to be enforced.

It will be the first time that the GCC has taken collective action in relation to the conflict in Syria. Previously the region’s involvement has been through the Arab League, or the unilateral moves by Saudi Arabia and Qatar to provide arms and financial support to rebel groups fighting against Al-Assad’s forces.

“As the GCC our position on Syria will come through the Arab League,” says Al-Zayani. “But right from the beginning we have said we are against violence, we have called for the killing and the bloodshed to stop, and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and a peaceful transfer of power.”

The involvement of Hezbollah in Syria has prompted condemnation from GCC states, most notably Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, described the Syrian regime’s attempts to suppress a rebellion as “genocide”, during a press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jeddah on 25 June. He also criticised Iran, Russia and Hezbollah for backing the Syrian government.

Unilateral action by GCC members Qatar and Saudi Arabia against individuals accused of links to Hezbollah has already started. Qatar has deported 18 Lebanese citizens it says are Hezbollah members, while Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Beirut has said the kingdom will be deporting Hezbollah supporters.

The conflict in Syria has been going on for over two years now, but the recent involvement of Hezbollah forces has helped Al-Assad reclaim key areas of the country that had been under rebel control.