ISTANBUL, Turkiye: Arab foreign ministers on Saturday condemned Israeli airstrikes on Iran as “a threat to regional peace and security”, and urged an immediate end to the military escalation.
They urged regional and international efforts to prevent further deterioration and work toward a comprehensive ceasefire, Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency reported.
The Arab League’s foreign ministers convened in Istanbul to discuss developments related to conflicts in the Middle East, especially Israel’s attacks on Iran that began on June 13.
The foreign ministers are in Istanbul for the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers.
A final statement issued after the emergency meeting said the Israeli attack constituted “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of a UN member state and a threat to regional peace and security,” Anadolu reported.
The Arab foreign ministers urged the UN Security Council to act swiftly and assume its responsibilities to stop the escalation, warning that failure to do so could plunge the region into deeper instability.
The foreign ministers called for a return to negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and expressed support for diplomatic efforts to lower tensions.
The statement linked recent hostilities to Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, demanding an end to Israeli military operations, immediate and sustained humanitarian access and a halt to illegal Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank.
The Arab foreign ministers warned that Israel’s conduct is pushing the region closer to a broader conflict.
It called for “condemning any violation of the airspace of the countries of the region by any party, and refraining from targeting nuclear facilities subject to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.”
They also emphasized “the necessity for all countries in the region to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
