Riyadh ministerial meeting condemns missiles, drone strikes, calls for diplomacy and protection of regional sovereignty
Meeting of foreign ministers of regional Arab and Islamic countries to consider growing tensions in the Middle East PHOTO: X/MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Pakistan, along with 11 other Islamic countries, issued a joint statement on Thursday calling on Iran to immediately end its attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council countries and regional allies, following a consultative ministerial meeting held in Riyadh a day earlier to deliberate diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East.
The meeting comes as the US and Israel’s war against Iran intensifies, exacerbating instability throughout the Middle East. Iranian state television reported Wednesday that Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying cluster warheads, describing the attack as retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani.
According to the statement released by the Saudi Press Agency, ministers from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates confirmed their condemnation and condemnation of these Iranian deliberate attacks with ballistic missiles and drones, which target civilian facilities, residential areas, including civilian facilities and drones. factories, airports, residential buildings and diplomatic premises.”
The declaration emphasized that “such attacks could not be justified under any pretext or by any means,” and emphasized “the right of States to defend themselves in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.”
The ministers called on Iran to “immediately cease its attacks” and highlighted “the need to respect international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step towards ending the escalation, achieving security and stability in the region and promoting diplomacy as a means of resolving the crisis.”
The statement further noted that the future of relations with Iran depended on respecting states’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs, refraining from violating their sovereignty or their territories in any way, and not using or developing their military capabilities to threaten countries in the region.
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The ministers also called on Iran to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which “called for an immediate halt to all attacks, an unconditional halt to any provocative actions or threats against neighboring states, and an end to supporting, financing and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries, which Iran does to serve those countries’ goals and their interests.”
They further called on Iran to refrain from any measures or threats aimed at closing or obstructing international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or threatening the maritime security of the Bab al-Mandab.
Iran has responded to the US-Israeli attacks with waves of drone and missile strikes not only against Israel but also against Gulf states that host US military installations, including Saudi Arabia, widening the regional impact of the conflict.
The escalation has hit key infrastructure across the Gulf states, including airports, ports, hotels and oil and military facilities. Disruptions to oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas, have heightened economic concerns.
Lebanon
In addition, the ministers reaffirmed support for “Lebanon’s security, stability and territorial integrity, activation of the Lebanese state’s sovereignty over all its territories and support for the Lebanese government’s decision to limit arms to the state.” They also condemned Israel’s aggression against Lebanon and “its expansionist policy” in the region.
The statement concluded with ministers reaffirming their commitment to ongoing consultation and coordination, pledging to closely monitor developments and assess new challenges. They emphasized that this approach will “ensure the formulation of common positions and the adoption of necessary legitimate measures and procedures to protect their security, stability and sovereignty and to stop the Iranian heinous attacks on their territories.”
Diplomatic efforts
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Riyadh yesterday. The Ministry of External Affairs said FM Dar would use the meeting to reiterate Pakistan’s diplomatic stance amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Earlier, on March 12, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traveled to Riyadh for detailed discussions on the regional situation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Amid rising tensions following US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Pakistan has reiterated its strong strategic commitment to Saudi Arabia while urging restraint to avoid a wider regional conflict.
