Leaders of the Gulf States felt an urgency to join forces after they were challenged by the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and its possible spillover in the region. On 26 May 1981, in Abu Dhabi the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Charter was signed by the heads of state of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although security and strategic issues were the driving force behind the initiative, the charter largely focuses on economic and cultural cooperation.