TEHRAN — Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed Al-Khereiji called for an immediate stop to Israeli military operations, saying that the aggression has escalated in an unprecedented manner against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip. He said this while addressing, on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the 19th meeting of the foreign ministers of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Forum (ACD) in Tehran on Monday. Al-Khereiji said that Israel is continuing its military operations that have left thousands of victims, including children, women and the elderly. "The continuation of military operations threatens regional security and portends the expansion of the conflict, which the Kingdom has previously warned against as a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights. The minister stressed the need to protect civilians, secure the access of humanitarian aid, and intensify efforts to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue. He also underlined the need to ensure the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Al-Khereiji also underlined the importance of doubling joint efforts and deepening cooperation and coordination among the ACD member states to face many challenges, most notably the growing conflicts, the increasing challenges of food, and energy security. The deputy minister reiterated the Kingdom's emphasis on the necessity of continuing coordination between countries and developing and expanding cooperation in all fields, including economic development, technology, trade, investment, regional security, energy, and cultural fields. Al-Khereiji stressed that Saudi Arabia believes in the importance of strengthening cooperation in emerging fields and challenges, including the climate change crisis, and raising the level of cooperation in the field of global governance of artificial intelligence and new technologies. He also drew attention to the importance and effectiveness of collective action within multilateral frameworks in calming tensions and promoting dialogue and joint action. Iran's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Bagheri Keni chaired the meeting, which is being attended by foreign ministers and senior officials from 35 countries, along with heads of regional and multilateral Asian organizations. The Asian Cooperation Dialogue Forum was established in June 2002. Iran joined this group in 2004 and assumed its presidency in 2024. The 35 Asian member countries of this forum, including half of the world's population, have about 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product.
