Arab foreign ministers are set to convene on the sidelines of the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul early next week to discuss the repercussions of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and explore diplomatic avenues to reduce regional tensions, Egyptian and Arab diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The call for the meeting was spearheaded by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who urged an emergency session of Arab foreign ministers in Istanbul to coordinate a unified Arab stance amid rapidly evolving developments and regional challenges.
Iraq currently holds the rotating presidency of the Arab League, having assumed the role from Bahrain at the regular summit held on May 17.
The Iraqi foreign ministry confirmed that the minister’s proposal followed a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday.
Egypt’s foreign ministry had earlier announced that Abdelatty engaged in consultations with ministers from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain to address the escalating military tensions and the broader implications for regional and international peace and security.
An Arab diplomatic source said the upcoming meeting aims to discuss the impact of the Israeli-Iranian conflict and is part of intensified efforts to coordinate regional positions and ease the crisis.
The 51st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of OIC member states, hosted in Istanbul on June 22-23, will gather nearly 1,000 participants from the organization’s 57 member states, along with affiliated institutions, observer states, and international organizations, reported Türkiye's Anadolu Agency.
However, the source ruled out any immediate plans for an emergency Arab League summit to address the conflict.
Another Egyptian diplomatic official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the OIC foreign ministers’ meeting would feature several bilateral and multilateral sessions focused on regional coordination, adding that the Istanbul meetings aim to revive diplomatic negotiations.
Egypt and several Arab countries have intensified diplomatic outreach to regional and international actors to push for a military de-escalation, a ceasefire, and prevent the conflict from spreading across the Middle East, the source said.
Cairo University’s Professor of International Relations Ikram Badreddine highlighted the importance of a coordinated Arab and Islamic position, describing it as a significant regional and international bloc.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “aligned stances among these countries could influence the current escalation and promote conflict containment.”
He also warned of the risks posed by failure to contain the Israel-Iran conflict, including the potential involvement of major powers such as the United States, Russia, and Pakistan, which could further destabilize the region.
