Missing in action

NOT exactly known for playing a proactive role in protecting the interests of Muslim nations and populations worldwide, the OIC has, sadly, remained true to form by failing to evolve a clear line on the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and the escalating regional war it has unleashed. Similar lack of action was witnessed during the Gaza genocide. However, Pakistan, which maintains good ties with both Iran and the Arab sheikhdoms, can play a critical role in bringing together Muslim states with differing ideological and geopolitical positions, and forging a united path to confront the perils the entire region is facing.

The usual limp statements have emanated from the OIC in response to the current crisis. Just before the war, the organisation “expressed grave concern” over threats faced by Iran. Later, it condemned Iranian counter-strikes on the Gulf states, Azerbaijan and Turkiye. Yet, there has been no thorough discussion of the root cause of the crisis: the US-Israeli violation of an OIC member state’s sovereignty, the assassination of its leader, and efforts to bring about regime change in Tehran. Iran’s retaliation against its neighbours is certainly ill-advised, but Washington and Tel Aviv are responsible for driving matters to a point where Tehran feels it has no option but to lash out at targets in a battle of survival. The OIC similarly failed to act when foreign aggressors attacked Yemen, Syria, Lebanon etc. Despite OIC states’ wealth and standing armies, the grouping appears powerless as outsiders violate its members’ sovereignty at will. Perhaps if it were not for such disunity within the Muslim world’s ranks, Israel and the US may have thought twice about attacking Iran, or massacring Palestinians in Gaza. That is why the PTI’s call for the OIC to convene an emergency meeting to stop the slide towards a “foreign-imposed and catastrophic conflict” is relevant.

The Trump administration is stuck in a quagmire of its own making. Despite the US leader’s arrogant boasts, the regime in Iran has not fallen, and the Iranians have fought back. The OIC must move now and work for a negotiated solution, joining forces with other relatively neutral actors such as China, which has also called for hostilities to cease. But first, the OIC should be more assertive by strongly condemning the aggression against Iran and demanding guarantees that the US and Israel will not indulge in further aggression. Meanwhile, even as the Arab Gulf reflects on whether the US security umbrella is a blessing or a curse in the long term, Iran should refrain from further attacks on targets in these states. Pakistan has already been active in the diplomatic field, and now, through the OIC platform, it should push for an end to the aggression, and search for permanent peace.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2026

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