Cairo, Egypt – The Council of Arab Information Ministers issued an official statement affirming the importance of Arab media playing its role in raising awareness among Arab and international public opinion about the realities of Iranian attacks targeting several Arab countries. The Council stressed the need to counter misinformation and rumors aimed at inciting discord among Arab peoples.
The Council explained that the statement was submitted by the Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by the Ministry of State for Information. It further clarified that the statement was approved by the Arab states, given the rapid developments in the region. The statement added that some Arab countries have been subjected to military attacks and threats.
The statement indicated that the countries targeted by the Iranian attacks included the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar. The statement emphasized that these attacks constitute a blatant aggression against peaceful nations. These countries did not initiate aggression against any party, nor did they use their forces to launch attacks against Iran.
The Council of Arab Information Ministers commended the role played by Arab media outlets, both public and private, in reporting on the developments with professionalism and adherence to Arab national principles. The Council also highlighted the official and popular Arab solidarity with the countries subjected to these attacks.
Furthermore, the Council called upon all Arab media outlets, traditional and digital, print, audio, and visual, to intensify their efforts in raising public awareness of the realities of the ongoing developments. It also called for emphasizing that what some Arab countries are experiencing constitutes an unjustified aggression targeting their security and stability.
The statement affirmed that the Iranian attacks primarily targeted civilian facilities, infrastructure, and economic assets in Arab countries. This jeopardized the security of citizens, residents, and visitors, necessitating a clear explanation of the facts for Arab and international public opinion.
The Council stressed the importance of distinguishing between the ongoing military conflict between Iran and both the United States and Israel, and Iranian attacks on Arab states. It emphasized that no stance on this conflict justifies targeting Arab countries that have not participated in military actions against Iran.
The Council also urged Arab social media users to exercise caution and avoid being misled by rumors or misinformation. It clarified that misleading material is being disseminated with the aim of sowing discord and division among Arab peoples.
The statement called on Arab media outlets to rely on official sources and statements issued by the relevant Arab states when covering events, thus contributing to the accurate dissemination of facts. The statement emphasized that this would prevent the spread of unverified news that could incite discord and harm relations between Arab states.
In closing, the Council of Arab Information Ministers stressed the importance of strengthening Arab media cooperation to inform global public opinion about the reality of Iranian aggression and its violation of Arab sovereignty. The Council also emphasized the need to intensify communication with international media outlets to provide accurate information and correct any misconceptions being circulated.
