Shafaq News- Baghdad

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to strengthen diplomatic coordination against regional crises, calling for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab to protect international trade.

Addressing the opening of the OIC's 52nd Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad, Fidan warned that growing divisions in the international order were creating challenges for member states and the wider region.

He said Turkiye and other OIC members had worked to strengthen diplomatic engagement and cooperation, particularly in support of the Palestinian cause. Fidan accused Israel of pursuing policies that threatened regional security, citing its military operations in Palestinian territories and Lebanon, as well as actions in Syria. He called for a collective response and urged the United States to press Israel to halt what he described as violations.

The Turkish minister also called for international efforts to prevent "Israel's attempts to annex Palestinian territory illegally."