President Rouhani Leaves for Istanbul for OIC Summit on Quds

Rouhani left Tehran for the Turkish city on Tuesday to attend the OIC meeting, which will feature discussions on the Muslim world’s reaction to the US president’s recent move to recognize Quds as the capital of the Israeli regime.

The leaders of 57 Muslim-majority countries will meet on December 13 in Istanbul at the summit initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the rotating term president of the OIC.

It follows US President Donald Trump’s controversial recognition of the holy city as the capital of Israel and his decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Quds.

The decision has drawn widespread international condemnation and sparked protests in the Palestinian territories.

Israel has occupied East Quds since the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed the area in 1980 and sees it as its exclusive domain. Under international law, the area is considered to be occupied territory.

Ankara had warned before Trump made his declaration on December 6 that any change in the status quo of the city would lead to a new catastrophe in the Middle East.

Erdogan has said that the OIC summit on Wednesday would convey the message that Washington should swiftly reverse its decision.