King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has urged the rest of the GCC members to unite in light of the political instability in the region. At the GCC Summit in Riyadh on 19 December, he called on Gulf governments “to stand united and vigilant” and to “refrain from conflicts and bloodshed”, saying that the GCC needs to adapt to the new landscape in the Middle East. 

“I urge you all to move from a phase of cooperation to a phase of union within a single entity,” he said.

The Gulf leaders are in Riyadh to discuss the political and security situation in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly Iran, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned against the “continued Iranian meddling in the internal affairs of the regional countries.” He also warned that Tehran’s “work to develop nuclear capabilities, which would allow it to possess nuclear weapons, would be a threat to the security of the region.”