Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Israel is responsible for the assassination of the head of Hamas… Warning of the spread of conflict

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said yesterday (7th) that the assassination of the main leader of the Palestinian armed group Hamas was a “serious violation” of Iranian sovereignty.

In a statement released after an emergency meeting held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the OIC said that Israel was “fully responsible” for the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, which took place in Iran on the 31 of last month.

The OIC stressed that Haniyeh’s assassination was a “serious violation” of Iran’s sovereignty and a “malicious attack”.

Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, who chairs the OIC, told the meeting that the killing of Haniyeh was likely to trigger “a wider conflict that could involve the entire region” and “strengthening rather than suppressing the will of the Palestinian people.”

Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Qani called on member states to support Iran’s response measures to protect sovereignty and security and stabilize the region.

OIC has 57 Islamic countries participating as member states, and this meeting was called at the request of Iran and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a press release that day that the US has stressed to countries with ties to Iran throughout the week that Israel and Iran should not take any action to do that could lead to the spread of conflict in the region.

He said he hoped the same message would be delivered to Iran through this meeting.

VOA news