Middle East Monitoring Desk Islamabad
Foreign ministers from a number of Arab and Islamic countries called Thursday on Iran to immediately halt its attacks on regional states following a consultative ministerial meeting.
Saudi Arabia hosted the meeting in Riyadh, bringing together the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates to discuss ways to support regional security and stability.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the ministers condemned what they described as deliberate Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, housing complexes and diplomatic premises.
They stressed that such attacks cannot be justified under any circumstances and affirmed the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The ministers called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks and respect international law and the principles of good neighborliness as a first step toward de-escalation and restoring regional stability.
They said the future of relations with Iran depends on respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs and refraining from threats against neighboring countries.
The statement also urged Iran to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), cease all attacks immediately and refrain from actions that could threaten international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or maritime security in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The ministers also reiterated support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability and territorial unity, backing the Lebanese government’s decision to ensure weapons remain solely in the hands of the state.
They also condemned Israeli attacks on Lebanon and what they described as Israel’s expansionist policies in the region.
Joint Statement Issued by the Consultative Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of Arab and Islamic Countries on Iranian Aggressions, 19 March 2026
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates held a consultative ministerial meeting on Wednesday, 29 Ramadan 1447, corresponding to March 18, 2026, in Riyadh regarding the Iranian attacks.
The ministers discussed the Iranian attacks on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Türkiye, and they affirmed their condemnation and denunciation of these Iranian deliberate attacks with ballistic missiles and drones which targeted residential areas, civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential buildings, and diplomatic premises.
The ministers further affirmed that such attacks could not be justified under any pretext or in any manner whatsoever. The ministers also stressed the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter.
The ministers called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks and affirmed the necessity of respecting international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step toward ending the escalation, achieving security and stability in the region, and promoting diplomacy as a means to resolve the crisis.
The ministers further emphasized that the future of relations with Iran depends on respecting the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as refraining from violating their sovereignty or their territories in any manner whatsoever, and not using or developing its military capabilities to threaten countries of the region.
The ministers stressed the need for Iran to abide by implementing the Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which called for an immediate halt to all attacks, and unconditional cessation of any provocative acts or threats against neighboring states, and the cessation of support, financing and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries, which Iran is doing to serve its goals and against the interests of these countries.
Furthermore, to refrain from any measures or threats aimed at closing or obstructing international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or threatening maritime security in Bab al-Mandab.
The ministers reaffirmed support for the security, stability and territorial integrity of Lebanon, activating the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over all its territories, and supporting the Lebanese government’s decision to limit weapons to the state. They also condemned Israel’s aggression against Lebanon and its expansionist policy in the region.
The ministers reaffirm their commitment to continuing intensive consultation and coordination in this regard, to monitor developments and assess emerging issues in a way that ensures the formulation of common positions and the adoption of necessary legitimate measures and procedures to protect their security, stability, and sovereignty, and to halt the Iranian heinous attacks on their territories.
