A group of 20 Muslim-majority states, in a joint statement, on Tuesday categorically rejected and condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, stressing on the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
The foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates signed the joint statement. They condemned any actions that contravene international law and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, while emphasizing the necessity to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, adhering to the principles of good neighborliness, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
It further called for the “imperative need” to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran and work toward de-escalation to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, while expressing great concern regarding the ongoing escalation that threatens regional peace and stability.
The foreign ministers emphasized the urgent need to establish a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, saying this would apply to all states in the region without exception. Similarly, they called for the urgent need for all countries of the Middle East to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The joint statement emphasized the importance of refraining from targeting nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, in accordance with relevant resolutions and United Nations Security Council decisions, describing such acts as a violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
The 20 ministers have stressed on the urgency of returning to negotiations as the only viable means to achieve a sustainable accord on the Iranian nuclear program. They have also emphasized the importance of safeguarding the freedom of navigation in international waterways per the relevant rules of international law, and refraining from undermining maritime security.
The only viable path to resolving all prevailing crises, reads the joint statement is diplomacy, dialogue, and adherence to the principles of good neighborliness, in accordance with international law and the U.N. Charter. Military means cannot bring about a lasting resolution to the ongoing crisis, it adds.
Trump warning
The joint statement came as U.S. President Donald Trump, in a posting on the TruthSocial social media platform, warned civilians in Tehran to evacuate “immediately.” Reiterating his belief that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said the country should have signed a deal.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has warned against forcing regime change in Tehran, and called on both Israel and Iran to “end” strikes against civilians.
Since Israel initiated its aggression against Iran on Friday, over 224 Iranians have been killed and more than 1,000 injured, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes, mostly civilians.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a posting on X, has said if the U.S. is genuinely interested in ending the war, it must push Israel to halt its aggression. If Israel’s hostilities persist, he has warned, Iran’s responses would continue.