Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the 52nd Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad on Oct. 17-18, where he is expected to call for coordinated action against Israel's policies and stronger regional cooperation, diplomatic sources said Friday.
The two-day gathering, held under the theme "Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development," will see Türkiye hand over the council's rotating chairpersonship to Iraq after holding the position since June 2025.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, discussions will focus on Israel's military operations in Gaza, its occupation and annexation activities in Palestinian territories, regional conflicts, counterterrorism, United Nations reform, Islamophobia and the situation of Muslim communities in non-OIC countries.
The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the "Baghdad Declaration," while Fidan is scheduled to address participants and hold bilateral talks with his counterparts.
Joint action on Israel
Fidan is expected to describe Israel's military actions and expansionist policies as the Middle East's most significant security threat, urging OIC members to demonstrate a united position and coordinate with international partners.
He will also call for decisive measures against countries relocating their embassies to Jerusalem and efforts to prevent further such moves.
Fidan is expected to reiterate that establishing an independent Palestinian state through a two-state solution remains the only viable path toward lasting peace, while stressing the need for uninterrupted humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.
The Turkish minister is also expected to emphasize solidarity with Turkish Cypriots, calling for an end to their international isolation and greater protection of the rights of Muslim Turkish minorities in Western Thrace and the Dodecanese islands.
On Syria, Fidan will advocate continued international efforts to safeguard the country's territorial integrity, revive its economy and support reconstruction.
He is also expected to demand Israel's complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon while reaffirming support for Lebanon's sovereignty.
Addressing tensions in the Gulf, Fidan will condemn attacks targeting Gulf countries, including Houthi strikes against Saudi civilian infrastructure, and emphasize freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.
Türkiye to hand over OIC chair
Established in 1969 following an arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the OIC comprises 57 member states and is the world's second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations.
Türkiye, a founding member, assumed the council's chairmanship during the 51st ministerial meeting in Istanbul in June 2025.
The Baghdad gathering will mark the end of Ankara's tenure, with Iraq taking over leadership of the council as member states seek common positions on regional security, humanitarian crises and broader challenges facing the Muslim world.