ISTANBUL, June 23 (Alliance News): The Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), during its 51st session held in Istanbul on June 21–22, condemned Israeli aggression against Iran and called for an immediate halt to attacks.
The session also highlighted support for Pakistan, the Palestinian cause, and other critical Muslim issues across the globe.
Held under the theme “The OIC in a Transforming World”, the Istanbul Declaration denounced Israel’s destabilizing actions in Iran, Syria, and Lebanon as blatant violations of sovereignty and international law.
The foreign ministers established an open-ended Ministerial Contact Group to engage with regional and global stakeholders to support de-escalation and promote peaceful resolution.
The ministers voiced grave concern over the escalation between Israel and Iran, warning of its dire human, economic, and environmental implications for the region.
The OIC expressed full solidarity with Pakistan, condemning recent cross-border attacks, including in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
It urged restraint, reaffirmed the importance of the Pakistan-India ceasefire, and emphasized the need for compliance with bilateral treaties such as the Indus Waters Treaty.
The declaration also underscored the significance of bilateral dialogue for resolving all outstanding issues.
The OIC renewed its unwavering support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), backing their right to self-determination in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions, and condemned India’s ongoing human rights violations in the disputed territory.
On Palestine, the CFM reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian issue and advocated for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a sovereign Palestinian state.
The session condemned the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and the West Bank, highlighting the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding over the past 19 months.
It called for the full implementation of UNSC Resolution 2735 and supported the Arab-Islamic plan for Gaza’s reconstruction. The ministers denounced Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war and obstructing humanitarian aid, demanding the urgent opening of crossings and full access to relief efforts.
Support was reiterated for UNRWA, rejecting forced displacement of Palestinians and Israel’s attacks on essential infrastructure in Gaza. The declaration also condemned Israeli attempts to alter the identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and called for protecting its Islamic and Arab character.
The OIC ministers expressed serious concern over the global rise in Islamophobia and called for collective action against hate speech, religious defamation, and the stigmatization of Muslims.
The body emphasized that terrorism and extremism must not be associated with any religion or ethnicity and condemned such acts in all forms.
The declaration welcomed progress in the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and urged Armenia to remove obstacles to a formal peace agreement. It also supported Syria’s reintegration into the international community, emphasizing continued political and financial backing for stability.
Additionally, the ministers backed the rights of Muslim Turkish Cypriots, minorities in Western Thrace and the Dodecanese in Greece, and voiced concern over human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other Muslim communities in Myanmar.
The OIC condemned Republika Srpska’s actions undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and the Dayton Peace Agreement.
