Iran calls for united Islamic response, urges conflict not to spread beyond region
TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has urged Islamic countries to take collective action against escalating violations of international law by Israel, underscoring Iran's right to defend itself in the face of recent military aggression.
In a telephone conversation with the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha on Sunday, Araqchi thanked him for condemning Israel's aggression against Iran, describing the attacks as blatant breaches of international law and the UN Charter, and posing grave threats to regional and global stability.
'This impunity encourages further aggression and crimes,' Araqchi warned, reaffirming Iran's readiness to defend its sovereignty.
The OIC secretary-general expressed deep concern over Israel's military escalation, stating the organisation would collaborate with the United Nations to mobilise international support and prevent the region from further instability.
On a similar note, addressing ambassadors, officials, and heads of foreign missions in Tehran on Sunday, Araqchi emphasised that Iran does not want war to spread beyond its borders.
He stressed that Iran's missile strikes against Israel were acts of legitimate self-defence and would cease if Israel halted its aggression.
'The Persian Gulf is a very sensitive and complex region, and any military developments there could involve not only the entire region but also the world,' he cautioned.
Araqchi described Israel's airstrikes since Friday as unprecedented aggression, specifically highlighting attacks on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility and residential areas in Tehran and other cities.
'Israel does not recognise boundaries,' Araqchi said, noting the assassination of Iranian university professors, nuclear scientists, and military commanders.
He further criticised the international community, especially certain European countries, for their indifference and biased reactions towards Israel's aggression, saying some condemned Iran instead.
Araqchi explained that Iran's initial response targeted only military sites, but after Israel's subsequent attacks on Iranian economic facilities, Iran responded by striking Israeli economic targets, including refineries.
The foreign minister expressed gratitude to the diplomats present for their condemnation of Israel's actions and solidarity with Iran, urging prompt international action to halt Israel's aggression. — BERNAMA-IRNA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Iran hangs man convicted of spying for Israel amid air war
TEHRAN: Iran's judiciary said Monday it hanged a man arrested in 2023 and convicted of being a spy for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, as fighting raged between the two foes. "Esmaeil Fekri, a Mossad agent convicted of the capital offences of 'corruption on Earth' and 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) was hanged after going through the full process of criminal procedure," the judiciary's Mizan Online news website said. Mizan said the execution was carried out after all legal procedures were completed and the verdict was upheld by the supreme court. On Monday, Iran's chief justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei vowed swift trials for people arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel. "If someone is arrested for having ties to and collaborating with the Zionist regime, their trial and punishment should be carried out and announced very quickly, in accordance with the law and given the war conditions," Ejei said, quoted by Tasnim news agency. On Sunday, Iranian media reported that police in Alborz province, west of Tehran, had arrested two people suspected of links to the Mossad. Later on the same day, Israel said it had arrested two citizens suspected of working for Iran's intelligence services. After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a surprise attack, saying it was targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities. So far it has killed at least 224 people in the Islamic republic, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Iran has retaliated with barrages of drone and missiles that have killed at least 24 people in Israel, according to the latest figures from the prime minister's office. Iran does not recognise Israel and has long accused it of carrying out sabotage operations against its nuclear facilities, as well as assassinating its scientists. — AFP
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Oil Prices Could Reach US$130 Per Barrel If Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz
ANKARA, June 16 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) - Oil prices could surge to US$130 per barrel if Iran decides to close the Strait of Hormuz, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti quoting a Turkish newspaper Hurriyet report on Monday. Esmail Kowsari, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Saturday that Tehran is considering shutting the strait in response to Israeli attacks. The strait handles 20 per cent of global oil shipments and 80 per cent of the oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade for Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. bootstrap slideshow The newspaper predicts that the Israel-Iran conflict will persist for some time, adding that the impact of the war on the economy depends on the duration and escalation of attacks. A prolonged conflict could devastate economies, but if it ends within 14 days as planned, the effects would be limited. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Ships then enter the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The strait's northern coast belongs to Iran, while the southern part to Oman and the UAE. The strait handles 10–20 per cent of global oil and approximately 20 per cent of LNG shipments. On the night of June 13, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale operation dubbed Rising Lion, in which the Air Force strikes military targets and facilities of Iran's nuclear programme. The Israeli Air Force carried out several waves of attacks in various parts of Iran, including Tehran, where several senior Iranian military officials were killed, including the chief of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff and the IRGC commander, as well as several nuclear scientists. Several nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordow, and Iranian military positions in various parts of the country were hit as well. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the strikes on Iran a crime in a message to citizens, saying that Israel would face a "bitter and terrible fate." The IRGC said the Islamic Republic had launched Operation True Promise III against military targets in Israel in response to the attacks. --BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
Indonesia, EU Launch EU Desk To Deepen Investment Ties
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, June 16 (Bernama) -- Indonesia and the European Union have launched a dedicated EU Desk to enhance strategic bilateral economic engagement between the two sides, while positioning Indonesia as a key destination for European investment in Southeast Asia, officials said. Based at Indonesia's Investment and Downstreaming Ministry, the facility will serve as a central hub for EU investors, offering market intelligence, business licensing guidance, investment opportunity mapping, and support for regulatory standardisation. bootstrap slideshow 'This initiative also reflects our commitment to support the acceleration of the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA), which we hope to finalise before the end of the year,' said Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani in a statement. EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi said the desk symbolised a shared ambition to promote quality and sustainable investment, noting that only a small share of the EU's estimated US$11 trillion in global investments currently flows to the republic. 'We want to increase investment in areas where Europe excels such as renewable energy, water management, waste processing, and advanced technologies,' he added. Between 2019 and the first quarter of 2025, EU investment in Indonesia totalled US$13 billion, according to the ministry. Key sectors included chemicals and pharmaceuticals (US$2.1 billion), utilities (US$1.9 billion), and transport and communications (US$1.07 billion). -- BERNAMA
