In a powerful joint statement, the foreign ministers of 20 nations, including Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Egypt, have strongly condemned Israel’s recent military attacks against Iran, calling for de-escalation and swift return to negotiations for a sustainable agreement on Iranian nuclear programme. 

The foreign ministers who issued a joint statement, included those of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, according to the text issued by the Foreign Office. 

The statement was issued in light of the rapidly evolving regional developments and the unprecedented escalation of tensions in the Middle East, particularly owing to the ongoing military aggression of Israel against Iran. The foreign ministers categorically rejected and condemned Israel’s recent attacks Iran since June 13, 2025, and any actions that contravened international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 

They emphasized the necessity of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, adhering to the principles of good neighbourliness, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. They stressed the need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm. 

The foreign ministers expressed great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, which threatened to have serious consequences on the peace and stability of the entire region. The leaders of 20 national called for urgent necessity of establishing a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction, which should apply to all States in the region without exception in line with relevant international resolutions. 

There is also an urgent need for all countries of the Middle East to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), they emphasized. The foreign ministers highlighted the paramount importance of refraining from targeting nuclear facilities that were under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, in accordance with relevant IAEA resolutions and United Nations Security Council decisions, as such acts constituted a violation of international law and international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions. 

They viewed that a swift return to the path of negotiations was the only viable means to reach a sustainable agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program. The foreign ministers also underscored 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 foreign ministers unanimously believed that diplomacy, dialogue, and adherence to the principles of good neighbourliness, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, remained the only viable path to resolving crises in the region, and that military means could not bring about a lasting resolution to the ongoing crisis.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)