Latest news with #OIC
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistani FM in Istanbul to demand Iran-Israel ceasefire at this week's OIC meeting
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul on Friday to attend the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, his office said, as Israel and Iran continue to engage in military conflict while the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates. The 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to focus on coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions between Iran and Israel, the two regional rivals, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The meeting comes at a time when Middle East tensions are high, with Iran and Israel trading missiles and strikes for seven days now. Pakistan has condemned Israel for launching a surprise attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leadership last Friday, calling for peace and diplomacy to resolve the issue. 'Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, arrived in Istanbul to participate in the 51st Session of the Council of the Foreign Minister (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being held on 21-22 June 2025 and to attend the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum award ceremony where President Erdogan will be honored,' the Foreign Office said in a press release. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, arrived in Istanbul to participate in the 51st Session of the Council of the Foreign Minister (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being held on 21-22 June 2025 and to attend the… — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 20, 2025 The Pakistani foreign office said Dar was received by Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkiye, Dr. Yousaf Junaid, Consul General Nauman Aslam and the representatives of the Turkish ministry of foreign affairs. 'During the plenary session, the DPM/FM will share Pakistan's perspective on the developments in South Asia following the ceasefire arrangement between Pakistan and India and the situation in the Middle East after Israel's recent aggression against Iran and other regional states,' the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement on Thursday. He added that Dar would advocate for peace in the Middle East and highlight the need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza during the meeting on June 21 and 22. Beyond the Middle East, Dar is also expected to address broader issues of concern to the Muslim world, urging the international community to 'combat the escalating tide of Islamophobia' by addressing rising extremism and militancy, as well as the growing threat of climate change. He will also reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the principles and objectives of the OIC in addressing challenges faced by Muslim nations globally. Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference. The high-level meeting is taking place amid media reports that the United States is weighing options, including potentially joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan deputy PM arrives in Istanbul for OIC session amid Iran-Israel conflict
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul on Friday to attend the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, his office said, as Israel and Iran continue to engage in military conflict while the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates. The 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to focus on coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions between Iran and Israel, the two regional rivals, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The meeting comes at a time when Middle East tensions are high, with Iran and Israel trading missiles and strikes for seven days now. Pakistan has condemned Israel for launching a surprise attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leadership last Friday, calling for peace and diplomacy to resolve the issue. 'Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, arrived in Istanbul to participate in the 51st Session of the Council of the Foreign Minister (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being held on 21-22 June 2025 and to attend the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum award ceremony where President Erdogan will be honored,' the Foreign Office said in a press release. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, arrived in Istanbul to participate in the 51st Session of the Council of the Foreign Minister (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being held on 21-22 June 2025 and to attend the… — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 20, 2025 The Pakistani foreign office said Dar was received by Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkiye, Dr. Yousaf Junaid, Consul General Nauman Aslam and the Turkish ministry of foreign affairs representatives. 'During the plenary session, the DPM/FM will share Pakistan's perspective on the developments in South Asia following the ceasefire arrangement between Pakistan and India and the situation in the Middle East after Israel's recent aggression against Iran and other regional states,' the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement on Thursday. He added that Dar would advocate for peace in the Middle East and highlight the need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza during the meeting on June 21 and 22. Beyond the Middle East, Dar is also expected to address broader issues of concern to the Muslim world, urging the international community to 'combat the escalating tide of Islamophobia' by addressing rising extremism and militancy, as well as the growing threat of climate change. He will also reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the principles and objectives of the OIC in addressing challenges faced by Muslim nations globally. Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference. The high-level meeting is taking place amid media reports that the United States is weighing options, including potentially joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Spectator
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Why Muslim-majority countries have turned against Iran
Swift condemnations have poured in from the Muslim world castigating Israel for bombing Iran. The UAE condemned Israel 'in the strongest terms', Jordan spoke up against Israeli attacks 'threatening regional stability', Saudi Arabia denounced 'blatant Israeli aggressions', Turkey espoused 'an end to Israel's banditry', while various Muslim diplomatic groups, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), demanded 'international action' against the Jewish State. But cloaked underneath this predictably farcical rhetoric of 'Muslim unity' are the evolving interests of many of these states, which today align seamlessly with Israel. Saudi Arabia has described 'evil' Iran as the 'head of the snake' In Israel's immediate neighbourhood, Lebanese officials are blocking the depleted Iranian jihadist proxy Hezbollah from taking action against Israel. Meanwhile, the Ahmed al-Sharaa-led Syria, after toppling the pro-Iran Bashar al-Assad regime, has been negotiating a peace deal to recognise Israel and allow Syrian territory to be used to block Iranian attacks. Jordan, meanwhile, is directly intercepting Iranian missiles. This is similar to its downing of drones last year, as part of a regional military coalition featuring Saudi Arabia and the UAE that provided key intelligence against Iran. Turkey, too, reportedly had prior knowledge of Israeli strikes on Iran. Sunni Gulf states have seen Shia Iran as an imperial threat in the region since clerics took over Tehran following the Iranian revolution in 1979. They accuse Iran of backing Shia uprisings against Sunni rulers in countries like Bahrain, along with pushing militia in Iraq and Yemen to aspire to propel Shia regimes. Of course, these Sunni states, led by Saudi Arabia, have long used jihadist proxies to exploit the same Sunni–Shia fault-lines and thwart Iranian plans in order to maintain their own regional hegemony. Riyadh went a step further by formulating a military alliance of Sunni states, the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, aimed at Iran and its Shia allies. But while the Sunni–Shia sectarian divide within Islam is 14 centuries old, in recent years the antagonism has crossed the weapons-grade threshold following the advent of a very modern threat: the nuclear bomb. When Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites and eliminated scientists along with key generals, it also inadvertently did so on behalf of leading Sunni regimes that have long been petrified by the prospect of Iran building a nuclear weapon. Saudi Arabia, which has described 'evil' Iran as the 'head of the snake', has repeatedly condemned the US nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. It has also regularly urged other Muslim-majority countries to reject 'Iranian terrorism'. Only a couple of weeks ago, Saudi defence minister Prince Khalid bin Salman warned Iranian officials to accept US president Donald Trump's offer of a new nuclear agreement or face the Israeli strikes that followed a little over a fortnight later. A similar message was delivered by the UAE to Iran in March. The Gulf states normalising relations with Israel are doing so as part of their modernising bids. This entails shunning violent Islamic laws and codes, from which their erstwhile antisemitic rhetoric against the Jewish State originates. This move is critical in order to diversify their petro-economies, which require regional stability to attract global investment. While sanctions-hit Iran has even more to gain financially by embracing moderation and peace in the region, it does not have a monarchy that could simply flip the switch on decades of spreading radical Islam and jihadist militancy. Self-identifying as 'resistance' against the West and Israel and flying the 'flag of Islam against infidels' is a matter of survival for the clerics in Tehran, even as the writing is on the wall for Iran's rulers following the fall of their proxies in Syria and Lebanon. If the Iranian regime is to go, it should ideally be toppled by the Iranians, who have lived under its brutalities for almost half a century, with local protests and attacks against the clergy increasing in recent years. While there are fears among the Iranian populace that the war could cause destruction similar to that seen in Gaza, there are millions of Muslims across the region who have suffered at the hands of Iran and its militias, and who would celebrate the demise of Iranian clerical rule – even if it is Israel that is to deal the final blow. And the Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, have already laid the groundwork to pose as the saviours and custodians of these Muslims in the aftermath of Israeli strikes they are officially condemning. Saudi Arabia has conveniently distanced itself from what is, in effect, the execution of its plans against Iran by officially normalising relations with Tehran following a China-brokered deal in 2023, after seven years of severed ties. This has allowed Riyadh to publicly pose as a mediator in Iran's nuclear talks with the US, while it covertly delivers Israeli threats to Tehran and continues to inform Washington of its intention to acquire nuclear arms. Like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey have their own plans to lead the Muslim world once the only non-Sunni claimant for the same – Iran – is effectively sidelined. All of these states, however, need Israel to eliminate the Iranian regime so as not to completely alienate Shia populations. Public hostility towards Israel will continue to grow in these countries as they quietly celebrate the gains of the Jewish state.
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Foreign minister to represent Malaysia at OIC summit, highlight Palestine and religious hatred
PUTRAJAYA, June 20 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead Malaysia's delegation to the 51st Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Istanbul, Turkiye, from June 21 to 22, 2025. The Foreign Ministry, in a statement released yesterday, said that the meeting will involve the participation of foreign ministers and representatives from 57 OIC Member States. 'The Foreign Minister will deliver a National Statement highlighting Malaysia's views and position on issues of common concern under the OIC, such as the situation in Palestine and their rights to self-determination,' said the ministry. The National Statement will also address the rise of Islamophobia and all forms of hatred towards religion, emphasise economic cooperation, and initiatives that Malaysia has undertaken in pursuing the objectives of the OIC, it added. With the theme of 'OIC in a Transforming World', this meeting is expected to deliberate and agree on common approaches for addressing the political, socio-economic, and cultural challenges faced by the Ummah, through the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration and nearly 146 proposed resolutions, the ministry stated. The meeting also serves as a platform to expand cooperation and solidarity among OIC Member States in promoting peace and security for the Ummah and the global community at large, particularly amid the current escalating tensions in the Middle East region, it said. — Bernama
Arab News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's deputy PM to attend OIC meeting in Istanbul, call for Israel-Iran ceasefire
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will attend a meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul this weekend and call for an immediate Israel-Iran ceasefire to help restore peace in the Middle East, the foreign office said on Thursday. The 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to focus on coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two regional rivals, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The meeting comes at a time of heightened volatility for the bloc, following Pakistan's brief but intense military standoff with India last month and Iran's escalating confrontation with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. "During the plenary session, the DPM/FM will share Pakistan's perspective on the developments in South Asia following the ceasefire arrangement between Pakistan and India and the situation in the Middle East after Israel's recent aggression against Iran and other regional states," the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement. He added that Dar would advocate for peace in the Middle East and highlight the need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza during the meeting on June 21 and 22. Beyond the Middle East, Dar is also expected to address broader issues of concern to the Muslim world, urging the international community to "combat the escalating tide of Islamophobia" by addressing rising extremism and militancy, as well as the growing threat of climate change. He will also reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the principles and objectives of the OIC in addressing challenges faced by Muslim nations globally. Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference. According to the foreign office, he will participate in an award ceremony honoring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the 'OIC Youth Forum Grand Youth Award.' The high-level meeting is taking place amid media reports that the United States is weighing options, including potentially joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran launched retaliatory missile attacks last week after Israeli forces bombed sites linked to its nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13. Tehran says more than 224 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the strikes. Israel has also reported over two dozen civilian deaths.
