End all “aggression” towards Iran, Muslim countries warns Israel

Foreign ministers from countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday urged Israel to end its “aggression” towards Iran, without mentioning the US strikes on the Islamic republic’s nuclear sites.

Arch-rivals Israel and Iran have been at war since June 13 when Israel, claiming Tehran was on the verge of acquiring a nuclear bomb, launched a wave of devastating air strikes, killing top army commanders and scientists.

Iran immediately retaliated, and the two sides have been trading barrages since.

The ministers “condemn firmly the aggression of Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran, stress the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks and their great concern regarding this dangerous escalation”, said an OIC statement

It was published at the end of a OIC meeting in Istanbul this weekend.

It made no direct reference to the US bombardment of Iran’s key nuclear facilities early Sunday, after President Donald Trump decided to join Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme.

But the OIC did denounce the “destabilization policies of Israel in the region and its recent attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, constituting flagrant (a) violation of sovereignty and security of these countries and international law”.

Attending the OIC meeting, Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Sunday morning that the United States and Israel had “breached a major red line”.

Tehran would hit back at the American barrage “by all means necessary”, he added.

Founded in 1969, the 57-member OIC sees its role as protecting the interests of the Muslim world and increasing Muslim solidarity.