BAGHDAD -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese and Libyan counterparts in Baghdad on Saturday on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers.
Araghchi arrived in the Iraqi capital on Saturday morning leading a diplomatic delegation and was received by Iraq’s deputy foreign minister, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said. 
Upon arrival, he paid tribute at the memorial site of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iranian and Iraqi commanders assassinated in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020.
Araghchi met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and the two discussed bilateral relations and regional and international developments, including ways to reach an agreement to contain the current crisis and prevent the war from expanding. 
Abdelatty emphasized the need to ensure freedom of international navigation and the smooth flow of trade through maritime corridors, and called for an end to all hostile acts targeting Saudi Arabia.
Araghchi, for his part, said the insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz is a direct result of U.S. and Israeli actions that began on 28 February and have continued in various forms. 
He reiterated Iran’s commitment to a responsible diplomatic approach aimed at reducing tensions, but said the U.S. has repeatedly violated agreements, most recently breaching the ceasefire understanding only two weeks after signing it. 
He also briefed Abdelatty on the latest diplomatic contacts through mediators and expressed Iran’s readiness to assist in halting the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, stressing that 12 years of tension have shown there is no military solution to the Yemen issue.
Araghchi also met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji and Libya’s acting foreign minister, Taher al-Baour and discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments.
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry website, Araghchi underscored Tehran’s support for Yemen’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the need to end external interference in Yemen’s internal affairs. 
He also stated that ensuring security and stability in Libya is essential for establishing peace and stability in North Africa.
The OIC session, held under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development,” opened on Saturday with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi presiding. 
Iraq formally took over the rotating chairmanship from Turkey. The two-day gathering is expected to address Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and developments in other crisis zones across the Islamic world.
In his address to the ministerial meeting, Araghchi said Iran remains open to negotiations but requires “credible guarantees” before resuming talks with the United States, according to IRNA. 
“Iran does not accept coercion, threats and intimidation and will not relinquish its sovereign rights under pressure. But it remains ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and credible guarantees,” Araghchi told the session. 
He said Iran negotiated “in good faith” over the past two years, but diplomatic efforts were repeatedly followed by military attacks, creating “deep mistrust” over restarting negotiations without guarantees against a recurrence. 
He referred to a previously conveyed seven-day proposal through Qatar under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal maritime traffic restored if necessary conditions were met, and to the June 17 Islamabad 
understanding between Iran and the U.S., reached through Pakistan’s mediation with Qatar’s support. 
He said maritime traffic recovered to around 60% of its pre-war level within two weeks before implementation of the understanding stalled.
On Yemen, Araghchi said the conflict has no military solution and should be resolved through an inclusive political process and negotiations, adding that Iran is ready to help facilitate dialogue between the parties based on a previously agreed peace roadmap. 
He also reiterated Tehran’s position on Palestine and called for coordinated action by OIC members to support Palestinian rights.
The OIC ministerial meeting is expected to approve a set of documents and a final statement to be known as the “Baghdad Report”, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi told Iranian reporters in Baghdad. 
He said the documents have been agreed upon by senior experts more than a year ago, including a resolution adopted at an emergency OIC foreign ministers’ meeting held immediately after the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran during the 12-day war. 
“The resolution concerning the 12-day war will be approved again at this meeting,” Gharibabadi said, adding that resolutions on the situation in Palestine and reports from the OIC secretary-general are also on the agenda. 
He said some member states may propose additions to the final report concerning current regional developments, including the situation in Yemen and issues related to Saudi Arabia, and that the Iranian delegation would examine them carefully to ensure they are consistent with Iran’s national interests and security and the need for just peace and stability in the region.
Gharibabadi also said Araghchi in his speech warned that if the enemy repeats its strategic error, Iran’s decisive response will be repeated, and called on OIC members to condemn the attacks and crimes.