Istanbul (TDI): Foreign ministers from Muslim countries on Sunday called on Israel to halt its attacks against Iran, notably refraining from mentioning the US strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
In the final communiqué released at the close of the emergency summit, the ministers expressed “deep concern” over what they described as a dangerous escalation. “We firmly condemn the aggression of Israel against Iran,” the OIC statement read. “We stress the urgent need for an end to these attacks.”
While the language was sharp toward Israel, there was no reference to the United States’ role in the early Sunday strikes, which targeted Iran’s Fordow enrichment facility and two other nuclear sites. The operation marked Washington’s first direct military action on Iran’s nuclear program, after President Donald Trump authorized joint strikes alongside Israel.
Still, the OIC denounced what it called Israel’s broader “destabilizing conduct” across the region, referencing attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon as “clear violations of sovereignty and international law.”
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who attended the summit, warned that both Israel and the United States had crossed a “major red line.” Speaking to reporters, he said Tehran would respond “by all means necessary” to what it sees as open aggression.
Representing Pakistan at the summit, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar delivered an impassioned speech, calling for Israel to be held accountable. “We are not just expressing solidarity with Iran, we are warning that this pattern of reckless aggression threatens the entire region,” Dar said.
He accused Tel Aviv of violating international law by attacking nuclear sites under the monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “This act has created a dangerous precedent,” he warned. “It endangers not only the region but global safety.”
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of the attacks and extended condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Iran. He emphasized that the Israeli strike took place while the IAEA was still conducting its verification work, making the attack all the more troubling.
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“Israel has breached the IAEA statute and violated several international resolutions,” Dar stated, stressing that such actions should not be allowed to go unchecked.
In his remarks, Dar also criticized what he called the global community’s “double standards” when dealing with Israel. “There’s talk of rules and laws when it suits powerful nations,” he said. “But when it comes to Israel’s actions, the silence is deafening.”
He argued that the attack on Iran was not an isolated incident but part of a continuing pattern of militarism by Israel, one that has repeatedly destabilized the Middle East.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
