Cairo, June 17, 2025: In a powerful display of regional solidarity, the foreign ministers of 20 Arab and Muslim-majority countries have jointly condemned Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran, calling for immediate de-escalation and a return to diplomacy in the Middle East.
The statement, issued following a virtual summit and reported by Egypt’s state-run news agency, described the situation as a “dangerous escalation” with potentially catastrophic consequences. The ministers warned that the continuation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could destabilize the broader region and ignite a wider war.
The joint communiqué was endorsed by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Brunei, Turkey, Chad, Algeria, Comoros, the United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, and Mauritania.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-aggression. They urged both Israel and Iran to pursue peaceful and diplomatic channels to resolve their differences, emphasizing the need for restraint and respect for international law.
A prominent element of the statement was a renewed call for a nuclear-free Middle East, echoing long-standing regional concerns. The ministers stressed the urgency of eliminating all weapons of mass destruction from the region, including nuclear arsenals. They called on all states that have not yet signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to do so “without delay.” The statement indirectly criticized Israel, which has never officially acknowledged possessing nuclear weapons and remains outside the NPT framework.
“The current crisis cannot be resolved through military means,” the ministers stated. They appealed to the broader international community to intervene diplomatically and support initiatives aimed at reducing tensions, facilitating dialogue, and preventing further bloodshed.
This marks one of the strongest and most unified diplomatic positions from Arab and Muslim countries in recent years concerning the Iran-Israel conflict. The joint message reflects mounting concern within the Muslim world over the human cost and geopolitical fallout of a protracted regional war.
As Iranian and Israeli forces continue to exchange strikes, observers say the unified stance from these 20 nations could add pressure on international powers to mediate a resolution and prevent further escalation.
