Middle East Tensions Delay Key Summit of Muslim Nations

A summit of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, originally scheduled in Jakarta, has been postponed due to the Middle Eastern conflict. The group's members include major Muslim countries such as Iran and Indonesia. The disruption follows recent military confrontations between the U.S., Israel, Iran, and Gulf nations.

A summit of eight major Muslim developing countries, initially planned in Jakarta, is postponed because of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Indonesia's foreign ministry confirmed on Friday.

The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, consisting of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey, was founded in 1997 to enhance cooperative efforts across Southeast Asia and Africa. However, a new date for the conference remains undecided, Indonesia's senior foreign ministry official, Tri Tharyat, informed reporters.

The summit was initially scheduled for April 13-15. The recent conflict was sparked by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran beginning February 28, prompting Iranian strikes on Israel and nearby Gulf nations with U.S. military bases. The previous summit was hosted by Egypt in 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)