Arab ministers meet in Istanbul at Iraq's request over Iran-Israel conflict
Istanbul (IraqiNews.com) – Arab foreign ministers convened in Istanbul on Friday for an emergency meeting requested by Iraq to address the escalating Iran-Israel conflict and its potential impact on regional stability.
The meeting came ahead of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit scheduled for the weekend and focused on the ongoing air war, which began on June 13 when Israel launched strikes, claiming Iran was nearing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran responded with immediate retaliatory attacks, marking the most serious confrontation between the two rivals to date.
The Istanbul talks aimed to form a unified Arab position on the crisis and explore ways to contain further escalation.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate talks in Geneva with his British, French, and German counterparts before joining the broader OIC discussions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Trump gives Iran two-week ultimatum
Shafaq News/ On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that Iran has been given a two-week deadline to 'come to its senses,' warning of escalating consequences. Speaking at a media briefing at the White House, Trump described Iran's position as increasingly precarious, citing the impact of the ongoing conflict. 'Iran is in a tough spot and suffering greatly under the current escalation with Israel,' he remarked, warning that the standoff shows no signs of nearing a resolution. He also praised Israel's military performance, characterizing Israeli forces as 'doing very well,' stressing that expecting Israel to halt its aerial operations inside Iranian territory remains unrealistic given the current dynamics. On the question of de-escalation, Trump voiced conditional openness to a ceasefire. 'I might support a ceasefire depending on how the situation evolves,' he stated. 'But right now, I don't see a clear path to ending the fighting.' He also alleged that Iran was only 'weeks away' from obtaining a nuclear weapon—an outcome he insisted would not have materialized during his presidency. Trump's remarks come amid growing regional backlash over Israel's Operation Rising Lion, a sweeping campaign of strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The operation resulted in the deaths of several senior commanders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as prominent nuclear scientists, drawing broad condemnation across the region. In retaliation, Iran launched True Promise 3, which has so far consisted of 17 waves of drone and missile attacks in what Tehran described as the largest direct strike on Israeli territory to date.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Shipping Giant Suspends Israel's Haifa Port service
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Danish shipping company Maersk announced the suspension of all vessel calls to Israel's Haifa port, citing security concerns tied to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran. In a statement, the company, considered the world's second-largest container shipping operator, explained that potential risks to crew safety and vessel operations at Israeli ports prompted the move. Meanwhile, Maersk added that no further disruptions are expected across its regional routes, confirming that vessels will continue docking at Ashdod, a southern Israeli port. The suspension follows Israel's Operation Rising Lion, a series of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites that resulted in the deaths of several senior IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with True Promise 3, described as its largest direct assault on Israeli territory, involving so far 17 waves of missile and drone attacks. Official reports count at least 224 fatalities in Iran and 25 in Israel since the conflict began.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq urges de-escalation at UN, condemns Israeli violations
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraq's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abbas Kadhim Obaid, called for urgent measures to prevent a 'catastrophic war' in the Middle East, denouncing Israeli airspace violations and urging respect for Iraqi sovereignty. Speaking at an emergency session of the UN Security Council convened to address the escalating Israel–Iran conflict, Obaid reiterated Baghdad's firm rejection of using Iraqi territory for regional confrontation. 'We warn against dragging the region into a broader conflict,' he said, condemning Israeli airstrikes on Iran and labeling them a breach of international law. 'We refuse to be a battlefield for settling scores,' he added. Obaid called on Israel to place its facilities under international supervision, urging compliance with global safeguards to reduce the risk of regional proliferation and conflict. His remarks came as Iranian and Israeli representatives exchanged accusations at the UN, blaming one another for rising civilian casualties and destabilizing nuclear brinkmanship.
