Iranian president meets OIC secretary-general in Tehran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Madani held a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in the Muslim world. “Today, safeguarding the blood of Muslims and preventing violence and massacre of Muslims is the main responsibility of the OIC,” Rouhani said at the meeting. He also underlined the necessity for respecting Islamic beliefs in the Muslim world to strengthen unity among the Muslim countries. Madani, for his part, hoped that his organization would use the Islamic Republic’s supports and efforts to the benefit of the Islamic countries, and said, “We need Iran’s support for resolving disputes and conflicts in the Muslim world.” In line with its principles and stances, Iran attaches much importance to cooperation with the OIC and it plays an influential role in the organization. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, formerly Organization of the Islamic Conference, was established in 1969 and has 57 members. The organization aims to promote dialogue between the Islamic countries and the rest of the world and also protect the interests of Muslims when necessary. The Parliamentary Union of the OIC has 53 members.