Regional conflicts and Palestine topped the agenda as the 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) began in Baghdad on Saturday.
Foreign ministers of member states attended the first day of the two-day meeting, which is being held in the Iraq capital for the first time in 45 years.
The meeting is being held under the theme of “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development”. It is to address Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the recent Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, as well as crisis zones across the Islamic world.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi opened the meeting, calling for greater co-operation among Islamic countries to address mounting challenges.
“The crises we are witnessing at the regional and international levels call for greater joint action to protect the interests of our peoples,” he said. "Iraq continues to suffer from the consequences of regional conflicts and their economic repercussions."
The meeting is being held in Baghdad because it is "the cradle of civilisation, science, thought and history", he added.
Mr Al Zaidi announced the formation of an Iraqi initiative aimed at integrating energy grids, railway networks, transport and digital communications among OIC countries. The development of a digital payment system and trade platforms will also form part of the initiative.
The move aims to promote security, stability and prosperity and strengthen the ability of member states to confront challenges, Mr Al Zaidi said.
Referring to the regional conflicts, he thanked Pakistan for its efforts to defuse tension and urged OIC member states to follow suit.
OIC Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed described the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia as a "flagrant violation of the kingdom's sovereignty and of the sanctity of the Islamic holy sites". He said he would work to "strengthen preventive diplomacy and to activate the OIC's mediation unit" to put an end to the crisis.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is among those to attend the meeting, having arrived in Baghdad early on Saturday. He held meetings with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt, Hakan Fidan and Badr Abdelatty, on the sidelines of the meeting.
Mr Araghchi said Iran was ready to help stop the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, one of Tehran’s main proxy militant groups.
He had previously offered to help enable dialogue between the two sides during a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan last week. Mr Araghchi said that a military solution was not an option to end the years-long civil war in Yemen.