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The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday issued the Istanbul Declaration, strongly condemning Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon and calling on the international community to take immediate deterrent action.
The statement followed the 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul and described the Israeli attacks as violations of international law and breaches of the sovereignty and security of the targeted nations.
The declaration “calls on the international community to take deterrent measures to stop this aggression and make Israel accountable for crimes committed.”
It also announced the formation of an open-ended “Ministerial Contact Group,” tasked with holding regular engagement with relevant regional and international parties to support de-escalation, halt attacks on Iran, and work toward a peaceful resolution.
The OIC warned that continued escalation could have grave consequences for the region’s human, economic, and environmental stability.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Muslim countries held “intensive and productive consultations” throughout the two-day summit, held against the backdrop of widening regional tensions.
“I extend my sincere thanks to my esteemed counterparts and all participants,” Fidan said in a statement posted on X. “At a time when our region is going through serious challenges, we, as Muslim countries, engaged in intensive and fruitful consultations.”
Fidan said the Istanbul Declaration amplified the Islamic world’s collective voice on global matters and noted that the final communiqué included 156 resolutions addressing shared concerns of Muslim countries and minorities.
“Over the past two days, our main agenda item has been Israel’s aggressive stance, which poses a threat to regional security and stability,” he added.
Fidan also announced that the OIC had agreed to establish a contact group specifically focused on recent developments in Iran.
Recalling the organization’s founding in 1969 in response to the arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, Fidan emphasized that the OIC remains committed to fighting oppression and defending Palestinian rights.
“We will not allow Israel’s strategy of spreading the conflict across the region to overshadow the genocide taking place in Palestine,” he said.
Fidan closed his remarks by stressing the importance of unity among Muslim nations. “Despite differences in language, our prayers are the same,” he said, urging solidarity and cooperation to address shared challenges.
This follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s confirmation that American forces had conducted what he described as a “very successful” strike on three Iranian nuclear sites. B-2 stealth bombers dropped six bunker-buster bombs on the underground Fordow uranium enrichment facility, while submarine-launched cruise missiles struck the Natanz and Esfahan facilities, according to U.S. media reports.
In response, Iran called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to condemn what it described as U.S. aggression and to hold accountable those who violate international law.
Hostilities in the region erupted June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes from Tehran.
Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in Iranian missile attacks. In Iran, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 injured in Israeli strikes, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.
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