The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council announced Wednesday it has labeled the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said the move is linked to Hezbollah's attempts to recruit young people in GCC countries to carry out terrorist acts, smuggle weapons and explosives, and incite disorder and violence.
He said Hezbollah actions in Syria, Yemen and Iraq are not compatible with moral and humanitarian values and pose a threat to Arab national security.
The GCC is made up of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
The group previously imposed sanctions on Hezbollah for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and sending militants into Syria to fight alongside the army.
Iran is Hezbollah's main backer and is on opposite sides of the conflicts in Syria and Yemen from its regional rival Saudi Arabia.
The United States has long considered Hezbollah a terrorist group, and the European Union added the designation to Hezbollah's military wing in 2013.
