Istanbul, June 21 (V7N) – Arab foreign ministers held a key meeting in Istanbul on Friday (June 20) to discuss the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, according to Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency.

The meeting came ahead of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit, set to take place over the weekend, where the Israel-Iran conflict is expected to feature prominently on the agenda.

The conflict between the two arch-rivals intensified following Israel’s attack on Iran on June 13, citing Tehran’s alleged progress toward developing nuclear weapons. Iran retaliated swiftly, triggering the most serious confrontation between the nations in recent history.

Diplomatic sources indicated that the foreign ministers gathered to coordinate a unified response among Arab countries regarding the ongoing hostilities.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that around 40 foreign ministers and high-level diplomats would participate in the OIC summit, with a special session dedicated to the Iran-Israel crisis.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his counterparts from Britain, France, and Germany in Geneva on Friday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that Araghchi would also join the OIC summit to present Iran’s position on the crisis.

Earlier, Araghchi signaled Iran’s willingness to resume diplomatic talks if Israel halted its aggression. A joint statement from the Arab League ministers is expected to be issued after their deliberations.

The OIC’s 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers will be held on Saturday (June 21) and Sunday (June 22), with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosting the event.

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