On June 21, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov attended and addressed the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Türkiye.
In his speech, Minister Bayramov outlined the political, economic, humanitarian, environmental, and security challenges emerging amid growing geopolitical tensions across the OIC space. He emphasized the importance of joint efforts to address these issues and reviewed the regional post-conflict developments.
He congratulated Türkiye on assuming the chairmanship of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, reaffirming Azerbaijan’s support for its leadership. Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan considers its upcoming chairmanship of the OIC in 2026 a historic opportunity to contribute to the unity and development of the Islamic world.
Expressing concern over the rise in Islamophobia, he stressed that Azerbaijan firmly condemns all its forms and manifestations and supports initiatives within the OIC framework to combat this threat.
Touching on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Minister Bayramov highlighted the urgent need for immediate action. He also expressed deep concern over the expanding tensions in the Middle East, including military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and called for the restoration of diplomatic dialogue based on international law.
Reaffirming Azerbaijan’s full support for the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir conflict in accordance with relevant UN Security Council and OIC resolutions, the minister stressed the importance of the ceasefire agreement reached on May 10, 2025.
Addressing the humanitarian situation in Syria, he underscored the importance of supporting restoration and reintegration efforts in the region.
Bayramov also provided a detailed overview of Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and peace efforts in the post-conflict period and highlighted key obstacles to normalization with Armenia. He pointed out that territorial claims against Azerbaijan in Armenia’s constitution and the continued existence of obsolete bodies such as the OSCE Minsk Group impede the signing of a peace agreement.
He further noted that Armenia has yet to fulfill its obligation to provide unimpeded communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. Additionally, he said that the gross violation and denial of the rights of Azerbaijanis expelled from modern-day Armenia – members of the Western Azerbaijan Community – remain a major barrier to establishing lasting peace and trust.