OIC foreign ministers to gather in Istanbul for key meeting
ISTANBUL
Foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will convene in Istanbul on June 21–22 for a session hosted by Turkish top diplomat Hakan Fidan, amid rising tensions in the Middle East sparked by Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Iran.
More than 40 foreign ministers, including Iran’s Abbas Araghchi, are expected to attend the two-day meeting, along with some 1,000 participants, including representatives from affiliated bodies, observer states and international organizations, Turkish diplomatic sources told the media.
Fidan is scheduled to open the meeting, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is also expected to deliver a keynote address.
The gathering comes at a critical moment for the region, as the conflict between Israel and Iran raises concerns over broader instability.
A special session will be held to address Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian targets, while discussions will also focus on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the reconstruction of Palestinian territories and steps toward reviving a two-state solution.
An "Istanbul declaration" is expected to be released at the conclusion of the meeting, alongside the adoption of draft resolutions related to the OIC agenda, particularly those centered on the situation in Gaza.
Fidan is expected to affirm Türkiye’s commitment to supporting de-escalation efforts in the Iran-Israel conflict and urge OIC member states to demonstrate unity in confronting "Israel’s destabilizing policies."
He will also reiterate Türkiye’s long-standing position that a two-state solution is essential for a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing it as the "root cause of instability in the region."
Meanwhile, discussions are expected to include political developments in Syria, prospects for resolving the issue on the divided island of Cyprus and the global rise in Islamophobia.
Türkiye will assume the rotating presidency of the OIC's foreign ministers' council for one year with the session. Istanbul previously hosted the council's meetings in 1976, 1991 and 2004.
Last week, OIC chief Brahim Taha condemned Israeli "aggression" against Iran in a phone call with Araghchi.
Taha expressed "grave concern" over the attacks and condemned the military "in the strongest terms," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Araghchi, for his part, called for a collective response by Islamic countries to confront Israel's "mounting lawlessness and aggression" against regional states.
Since early on June 13, Israel has launched a series of strikes against Iranian territory, targeting nuclear and missile facilities. Iran has responded with missiles targeting several areas across Israel.
