ISTANBUL: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has convened an emergency meeting of foreign ministers on June 21-22 in Istanbul to address the escalating conflict following Israel’s “military aggression” against Iran, to formulate a unified response from the Muslim world.
The high-level session is intended to develop a unified response from the Muslim world, with senior leaders from member states expected to attend.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is also expected to attend the OIC meeting.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will open the session with an inaugural address, while Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is also scheduled to participate and deliver remarks.
Pakistan will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is set to arrive in Istanbul on Friday.
He is expected to outline Pakistan’s official position on the Israeli attacks and underscore the importance of a coordinated response among OIC member countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, Ishaq Dar is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with several key counterparts, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, as well as senior officials from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Malaysia, Egypt, and Kuwait.
In a related development, the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to meet in Istanbul on Sunday to assess the latest situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
These consecutive sessions are seen as a vital move toward fostering a coordinated diplomatic response from Islamic countries amid escalating regional tensions.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has condemned the “unjustified and illegitimate aggression” by Israel against Iran and urged the international community and the United Nations to “bear the responsibility to uphold international law, stop this aggression immediately, and hold the aggressor accountable for its actions”.
During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “The Israeli military strikes violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran and clearly contravene the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law. Iran has a right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.”
