Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, called on Islamic leaders to adopt "practical, decisive and effective measures" against Israel and in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as he addressed a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Tuesday.
In a speech aired live by Iran's state broadcaster, Amir-Abdollahian reminded the OIC of the "immediate necessity to avert a catastrophe against the Palestinian nation."
The meeting was held as a result of a formal request from Tehran, which has been pursuing a diplomatic campaign against Israel after the latter unleashed a deadly war on Gaza in response to an attack by Iran-backed Hamas militants on southern Israeli communities in October.
According to Amir-Abdollahian, leaders of Islamic nations ought to move beyond "mere condemnations" in this "historical test" and meet the "minimum" obligation in response to expectations from Palestinians by cutting off all economic, trade and diplomatic relations with Israel.
