Iran Urges Muslim Nations to Cut Diplomatic Ties with Israel

Iran has called on Muslim countries to sever relations with Israel amid escalating tensions in the region. Discover more about the political and diplomatic implications of this appeal.

Muslim nations globally should sever economic ties with Israel to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian people, stated Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

During his address at the Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Saturday, Khamenei accused Israel of perpetrating atrocities throughout its nearly year-long military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. The latest reports from the enclave’s Health Ministry indicate that over 41,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.

Khamenei asserted that Israel is transparent about the actions it undertakes during its military operations in Gaza. He remarked, “Currently, the Zionist regime commits crimes openly and without concealment,” referencing its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria, as reported by an X account that translates and disseminates Khamenei’s remarks.

He emphasized that the conflict is not against soldiers but rather targets innocent civilians.

Khamenei urged the Muslim community to sever connections with West Jerusalem, stating, “The initial step towards enhancing the unity of the Islamic world against this criminal, terrorist group that has occupied Palestinian land is for Islamic nations to entirely discontinue economic relations with it. This is the minimum action that can be taken.”

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Tensions have escalated between Israel and its neighboring Muslim countries amid the ongoing military operations in Gaza, which Israel initiated in response to Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,100 fatalities and over 200 hostages taken. The Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have caused extensive destruction in the enclave, displacing 90% of the Palestinian population, according to United Nations reports.

Tehran has accused Israel of attempting to perpetrate “genocide” against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The longstanding hostilities between the two nations escalated in April following the bombing of an Iranian Embassy compound in Syria, an act for which Iran held West Jerusalem responsible. In retaliation, Iran launched a substantial number of missiles and drones towards Israel, which successfully defended itself with considerable assistance from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other regional allies.

Tensions heightened once more in July after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, an act that both the militant organization and Tehran attributed to Israel. While Iran has pledged to retaliate, it has not yet executed any counterattack in response.