Plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza synonymous with ‘genocide', says Iran FM

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi deplored the joint US-Israeli plan for the forced displacement of Gazans and ethnic cleansing in the besieged territory.

News ID: 5965

Date: 09 February 2025 - 08:13

TABNAK, Fen 09: All Muslim nations must take a unified stance to thwart this plot, he said speaking with Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Ibrahim Taha in a phone call.

Iran's top diplomat called for an extraordinary meeting of the organization to take decisive and effective action in defense of Palestinians’ rights.

He highlighted the grave responsibility of Muslim nations to support the rights of the oppressed Palestinians, particularly their right to self-determination.

“The plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza is not only a great crime synonymous with ‘genocide,’ but also has dangerous consequences for the stability and security of the region and the world,” he said.

Araqchi added that “the Organization of Islamic Cooperation must take a decisive and effective decision as soon as possible by holding an extraordinary meeting with the presence of the foreign ministers of the member states to defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

The OIC chief, for his part, rejected the forced displacement of Gazans as completely unacceptable, while welcoming Iran’s proposal for an extraordinary OIC meeting.

Araqchi also discussed the current situation in Gaza in separate phone calls with his Tunisian, Egyptian, Turkish and Pakistani counterparts.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has resulted in the death of at least 48,181 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injury of 111,638 others since early October 2023.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement went into effect in Gaza on January 19, halting Israel’s aggressive campaign against the coastal region.

The first 42-day phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for 33 Israeli captives and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners to be released.

So far, the agreement has held, but US President Donald Trump’s proposal to clear Gaza of its inhabitants and take over the territory is creating hiccups amid widespread denunciation around the world.