Iran urges Muslim states to impose sanctions on Israel amid Gaza war

Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should impose an oil embargo and other sanctions on Israel and expel all Israeli ambassadors, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday.

An urgent meeting of the OIC is taking place in the Saudi city of Jeddah to discuss the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after a blast at a Gaza hospital late on Tuesday killed large numbers of Palestinians.

"The foreign minister calls for an immediate and complete embargo on Israel by Islamic countries, including oil sanctions, in addition to expelling Israeli ambassadors if relations with the Zionist regime have been established," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Amir-Abdollahian also called for the formation of a team of Muslim lawyers to document potential war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

Iran has no diplomatic relations with Israel. The two countries are considered regional foes, and have engaged in a "shadow war" over the years.

Iran's statement comes as a strike hit the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, killing 471 people in an attack blamed on Israel.

Israel has killed least 3,478 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, amid its fiercest bombardment of the enclave in 70 years, with 13,000 Palestinians wounded and 1 million displaced.

(Reuters and The New Arab Staff)