Araghchi at OIC: Zionist crimes not to go unanswered
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While in Istanbul, Iranian FM Araghchi held high-level sideline meetings with fellow OIC foreign ministers, the OIC Secretary-General, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in Istanbul to participate in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers' meeting. (PressTV)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, vowing a firm and proportionate response to the Israeli regime's latest assault on Iranian territory. Declaring that Iran will not remain silent in the face of unprovoked aggression, Araghchi reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic will act according to its sovereign right to defend its people and infrastructure.
"In accordance with our legitimate right to self-defense, the Islamic Republic will stand resolutely against the Israeli aggression and will respond to it as it sees fit," he stated upon arrival.
The Israeli strike targeted Iranian nuclear facilities fully monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in what Araghchi called a "heinous and unforgivable crime." He added that the attack violates not only international law but also UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the Iran nuclear deal and protects peaceful nuclear activity.
"This act has dangerous implications not only for regional stability but for the very credibility of the IAEA and the global non-proliferation framework," he warned.
Araghchi confirmed that Iran had requested a special agenda item to be added to the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which convened this week in Istanbul. "We demanded this urgent session to discuss the Zionist regime's aggression against our nation, and it was rightly approved," he stated, expressing hope for "a strong and unified statement of condemnation" from the Islamic world.
While in Istanbul, Araghchi held high-level sideline meetings with fellow OIC foreign ministers, the OIC Secretary-General, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. "We are here to raise the voice of truth, to present the just defense of the Iranian people to the world," he said.
Arab States Echo Iran's Position
The OIC foreign ministers responded in kind with a joint declaration sharply condemning the Israeli aggression and warning that the regime's actions are dragging the region toward greater instability and conflict. The statement called for renewed diplomatic efforts on the Iranian nuclear file and demanded respect for the IAEA's safeguards system.
Ministers urged the international community to act decisively to stop "Israel's" violations and avoid targeting nuclear facilities, emphasizing the need to uphold the UN Charter and international norms prohibiting the use of force.
The joint declaration also reaffirmed the longstanding demand for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction, a direct rebuke to "Israel's" undeclared arsenal and refusal to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Read more: Egypt urges 'Israel' to join NPT, citing regional nuclear imbalance
Araghchi's participation in the OIC summit follows a high-level meeting with European envoys in Geneva on June 20. He expressed deep concern over Western silence in the face of a clear act of military aggression, calling out the double standards that shield Israeli violations from accountability.
Reiterating that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, transparent, and under continuous IAEA inspection, Araghchi insisted that the country's defensive capacities "are not open to negotiation."
Next, Araghchi is expected to travel to Moscow for a critical meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to coordinate responses to the Israeli escalation and mobilize further international backing.
