Photo via X/@PakinTurkiye
ISTANBUL/ISLAMABAD – Foreign ministers from Muslim-majority countries on Sunday issued a strong call for Israel to halt its military aggression against Iran, while notably avoiding any direct reference to the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Following a high-level summit convened in Istanbul by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), member states issued a joint statement firmly condemning “the aggression of Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The ministers underscored the “urgent need to stop Israeli attacks” and expressed “great concern regarding this dangerous escalation.”
The statement stopped short of mentioning the early Sunday morning U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, which were launched after President Donald Trump formally authorized American military participation in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Nonetheless, the OIC denounced what it described as “Israel’s destabilisation policies in the region and its recent attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.” The grouping characterised these operations as “flagrant violations of sovereignty and the security of these countries, as well as international law.”
Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, who was present at the summit, warned that the United States and Israel had “breached a major red line” and declared that Tehran would retaliate “by all means necessary” in response to the American-led air assault.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member body founded in 1969, defines its mission as protecting the collective interests of the Muslim world while fostering unity and solidarity among its members.
Pakistan Condemns Israeli Action, Calls for Global Accountability
Reporting from Islamabad, Syed Irfan Raza noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, used the OIC platform to call for Israel to be held accountable for its actions, warning that Tel Aviv had become a growing threat to regional peace and stability.
“I hope that our meeting today will not only express our unwavering solidarity with the brotherly country of Iran, but will also send a clear message that Israel must be held accountable, and that its reckless aggression cannot be allowed to jeopardise the peace of the entire region,” Dar stated during his remarks.
He reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of what he termed as the “unjustified and illegitimate aggression committed by Israel against Iran,” expressing “deepest condolences” for the loss of life, particularly in civilian areas targeted during the attacks. 
Dar also criticised the timing of the strikes, noting they occurred while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was continuing its verification operations inside Iran. “Israel has thus violated international law, the IAEA Statute, and several IAEA resolutions by attacking IAEA safeguarded facilities,” he said, warning that the attacks had set “a dangerous precedent” and posed a serious threat to regional and global safety.
Pakistan, he affirmed, fully supported Iran’s right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, in response to what he called “blatant and unprovoked Israeli aggression.”
The deputy prime minister also highlighted what he described as widespread international double standards when dealing with Israel’s actions. “There is no talk of the rule of law, the rules-based international order or consequences for illegal actions. This impunity must end,” he asserted.
Dar went on to contextualise the attacks as part of a broader pattern of aggressive behavior by Israel, describing its actions as a “dangerous and consistent pattern of militarism” that has long destabilised the Middle East.
Despite growing international concern over the escalating conflict, the OIC statement and Pakistan’s remarks underscore the deep divisions and selective focus within the global response, with the Muslim world rallying against Israeli actions while largely avoiding criticism of the United States’ role in the unfolding crisis.
