TEHRAN – Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani has called on member states of the Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation to sever all economic and political ties with Israel to pressure it to cease its aggression in the Gaza Strip.

His remarks were made during an extraordinary meeting of D-8 foreign ministers held in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday.

During his address, Bagheri Kani condemned the ongoing atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. He urged Islamic countries to take decisive action, including cutting off all relations with Israel, to end the violence in Gaza. 

Bagheri Kani emphasized that Israel will only acknowledge the gravity of the situation when confronted with force, citing Iran's Operation True Promise, a significant retaliatory strike on April 13, as evidence.

Bagheri Kani highlighted the prolonged conflict, noting that more than eight months of Israeli attacks on Gaza have passed without any concrete action from the international community to halt what he described as "unprecedented crimes." 

He accused Israel of using collective punishment policies to achieve a "sinister and dangerous goal" of making Gaza uninhabitable, labeling these actions as clear war crimes and genocide.

Representatives from Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Nigeria attended the D-8 summit to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Bagheri Kani called for a unified and strong response from Muslim countries to prevent the continuation of these crimes.

In the statement he issued for the meeting, Bagheri Kani stressed the importance of solidarity among Muslim countries and the utilization of their collective capacities to focus on this issue. He proposed several measures, including cutting political and economic ties with Israel, embargoing Israeli oil and goods, and recognizing the Israeli regime as a terrorist entity. Additionally, he suggested establishing a special international mission to bring Israel's crimes before international courts and called for the revival of UN General Assembly Resolution 3379, which previously equated Zionism with racism.

Bagheri Kani also touched upon the economic and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urging the international community to adopt practical measures to support the Palestinian people. He proposed the establishment of a 'D-8 Advocacy Programme for Palestine,' an international conference on Gaza's reconstruction, and the creation of an Islamic fund to raise financial assistance.

He further called for the suspension of Israel's membership in international organizations and a ban on its participation in international events, including the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Bagheri Kani advocated for the designation of Israel's military and security forces as terrorist organizations due to their actions in Gaza.

In conclusion, Bagheri Kani reiterated Iran's commitment to supporting initiatives that ensure peace, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity for Afghanistan. He urged the United Nations to pay closer attention to the humanitarian conditions in the country and to take concrete steps to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza.

The D-8 organization, comprising Turkey, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Pakistan, was established on June 15, 1997. It was formed following a proposal by Turkey’s then-Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who envisioned an economic group composed of eight emerging economies from the Muslim world. Since its inception, the D-8 has sought to enhance economic cooperation among its members while also addressing pressing political and humanitarian issues affecting the Muslim community globally.

Iran, Turkey to keep enhancing ties for regional stability

On the sideline of the meeting, Ali Bagheri Kani met with Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan.

Bagheri expressed gratitude for Turkey's initiative in hosting the Istanbul meeting, highlighting Iran's strong interest in the Palestinian issue and commending Turkey's role in addressing it.

Highlighting the emphasis placed by Iran's late President and Foreign Minister on strengthening ties, Bagheri reaffirmed Iran's commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Turkey, particularly in economic and trade aspects.

He stressed the importance of bolstering Iran-Turkey relations for regional stability, especially given their shared challenge posed by the Zionist regime and the escalating situation in Palestine, calling for closer diplomatic consultations among Islamic nations to support the Palestinians.

In response, Fidan appreciated Iran's participation in the Istanbul meeting during this sensitive period following the tragic incident on May 19 that resulted in the death of Iranian President and Foreign Minister. He mentioned discussions with the late Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian regarding this initiative and the organization of the meeting.

Fidan also highlighted the diverse dimensions of Ankara-Tehran relations, emphasizing the need for continued cooperation in economic, energy, and counter-terrorism fields, building on positive agreements reached during presidential visits.

‘Iran-Pakistan relation roots in a shared history’

The acting Foreign Minister of Iran continued his meetings and consultations in Istanbul on the sidelines of the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers from the Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation and met with Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, to discuss the strengthening of relations between Tehran and Islamabad and their mutual interests in the region, particularly regarding Palestine.

During the meeting, Bagheri said that the relationship between the two countries is “not only rooted in a shared history but also in a common destiny,” necessitating strategic planning for further strengthening and development of bilateral relations. He stressed the importance of wisdom and foresight to counter efforts aimed at creating discord and division between the two nations.

Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, honored the memory of Iran’s late President and Foreign Minister, expressing the profound sorrow and condolences of the Pakistani government and people.

He reiterated the serious commitment of Pakistan’s officials to following through on the agreements made during President Raisi’s significant visit to Pakistan.

‘Bolstering ties with Indonesia was on late Raisi’s agenda’

Continuing his diplomatic meetings, Bagheri Kani also met with Retno Marsudi, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia.

During the meeting, Bagheri emphasized that one of the main agenda items of the late President of Iran was to focus on developing and expanding relations with Islamic countries, including Indonesia, as one of the important countries in Asia.

Retno Marsudi, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, also commemorated the memory of President Raisi, reiterating her condolences on behalf of the government and people of Indonesia to the Iranian government and people.

Marsudi also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation between Tehran and Jakarta in international arenas, particularly in defending and supporting the rights of the Palestinian people.