Iranian, Turkish FMs urge end to Israeli war on Gaza to ensure regional security

The top diplomats of Iran and Turkey call for an end to the Israeli regime’s acts of aggression against the people of Palestine to ensure sustainable stability and security in the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan made the call as they held talks in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 21st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation.

They discussed the latest developments in the region with the main focus on the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip and the continuation of the Israeli regime’s crimes against the Palestinian and Lebanese people.

They also exchanged views about Israel’s recent acts of aggression against Syria’s defensive and economic infrastructure.

Araghchi and Fidan stressed the importance of improving convergence among influential Muslim countries, especially the D-8 member states, to help stop the Tel Aviv regime’s atrocities and safeguard sustainable stability and security in the region.

At least 45,097 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed with 107,244 others injured in the genocidal war that began after the retaliatory operation - the Al-Aqsa Flood - staged by Gaza’s resistance movements on October 7, 2023, in response to the regime’s decades of deadly occupation and aggression against Palestinians.

Israeli warplanes strike Syrian military installations in Damascus, countryside

Israeli fighter jets have launched strikes against military sites in the Syrian capital Damascus and its countryside, in the latest such raids since militants toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government almost a week ago.

Meanwhile, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday that Israel has conducted 498 attacks on Syrian weapons depots and military facilities since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government on December 8.

Additionally, residents in the southwestern Dara’a province reported Israeli warplanes flying over the Yarmouk Basin in the western countryside.

This comes as Israeli forces have seized the so-called buffer zone, which separates the occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria, in violation of a 1974 disengagement agreement. The occupation forces have entered several towns in Quneitra, forcibly evacuating residents.

During their meeting, the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers also discussed the issues on the agenda of the 11th D-8 Summit, which is scheduled to open in Cairo on Thursday with the presidents of eight countries, including Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran, in attendance.

The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for developing cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

President Pezeshkian arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to take part in the D-8 summit. It is the first visit by an Iranian president to Egypt in 11 years.

Iran, Egypt FMs call for regional cooperation, urgent support for Palestine

The top Iranian and Egyptian diplomats urge promotion of regional cooperation to support the war-torn people of Palestine.

Earlier on Wednesday, Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Aaty called for the continuation of efforts to end Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians and send immediate aid to the defenseless people in the Gaza Strip.

Egypt to host special session on Palestine, Lebanon at D-8 summit

The Egyptian foreign minister said the D-8 summit will feature a special session on Palestine and Lebanon, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

“The timing of the summit is crucial, coinciding with regional and international pressures and unprecedented economic challenges,” Abdel Aaty added.

He emphasized that the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and its devastating consequences, including infrastructure destruction and a humanitarian catastrophe, have a direct impact on developing countries.

The minister said Israel’s actions in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, are violations of international law, adding that the regime’s atrocities have prompted Egypt to propose a dedicated session on Palestine and Lebanon during the D-8 summit.

He also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation within the group’s sectors, exploring new opportunities for economic and trade collaboration, boosting private sector participation, attracting investment and fostering youth engagement.

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