WANA (Jun 21) – Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, arrived in Istanbul early Friday morning (June 21) to attend the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

 

The high-level meeting is being held under the theme “The OIC in a Changing World” on June 21–22 with the participation of more than 40 foreign ministers. Representatives from all 57 member states, OIC-affiliated institutions, observer countries, and several international organizations are also attending the summit.

 

Iranian officials have confirmed that, at Tehran’s request, the recent Israeli attack on Iranian territory will be discussed as a special agenda item during the meeting.

 

Upon arrival in Istanbul, Araghchi told reporters that Iran had called for a special session to address the Israeli aggression, and that request was accepted. He expressed hope that the OIC would issue a strong and unequivocal statement condemning the attack.

 

The Iranian foreign minister also announced plans to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit with participating counterparts, the OIC Secretary-General, and the President of Turkey. “We will use this opportunity to ensure the voice of the Iranian people is heard and to affirm the legitimacy of our right to self-defense,” he stated.

 

This year’s OIC foreign ministers’ meeting comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly following the recent Israeli drone and missile strikes on Iranian soil. Analysts see the summit as a key opportunity to strengthen Islamic unity in the face of shared threats.