Iran, 19 countries condemn Colombia’s embassy opening in occupied Al-Quds

TEHRAN — Iran and 19 other countries have condemned Colombia’s decision to open an embassy in occupied al-Quds, warning that the move violates international law, undermines the internationally recognized status of the Palestinian city and runs counter to efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state. Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation on Thursday evening, describing the decision as contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and fundamental principles of international law. A joint statement by the foreign ministers of Turkey and 18 other countries followed on Friday, calling on Bogotá to reverse the move and uphold its international obligations. The dispute has renewed attention to the international legal status of al-Quds, the consequences of relocating diplomatic missions to the occupied city, and the long-standing international consensus against unilateral measures intended to alter its status. In its statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stressed that al-Quds is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory and that states are obligated under international law to refrain from actions that could be interpreted as recognizing Israel’s occupation. The ministry said Colombia’s decision contradicted the country’s international obligations concerning the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and risked legitimizing the occupation of Palestinian land. It also argued that the move conflicted with the historical struggles for independence and justice in Colombia and across Latin America. Iran called on the Colombian government to accept responsibility for the consequences of its 'unlawful and unjustifiable' decision. Joint condemnation by 19 countries The joint statement, issued by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, was endorsed by the foreign ministers of Turkey, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The ministers expressed their unequivocal rejection of Colombia’s embassy opening, saying the decision violated relevant UN Security Council resolutions and weakened international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution. They reaffirmed that measures intended to change the legal or historical status of occupied al-Quds, or to recognize the city as Israel’s capital, are null and void and have no legal effect. The statement cited UN Security Council Resolutions 476 and 478, both adopted in 1980. These resolutions rejected Israel’s attempts to alter the character and status of the city and called on states with diplomatic missions there to withdraw them. The ministers emphasized that al-Quds is part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 and urged Colombia to reconsider and reverse its decision, respect international law and avoid actions that prejudice the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Iran’s condemnation came alongside separate objections from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Algeria. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had also previously denounced the planned embassy opening, describing it as an unlawful step and a departure from Colombia’s longstanding support for Palestinian rights. From the 1980s diplomatic withdrawals to the US embassy move The controversy over diplomatic missions in al-Quds has deep roots in international diplomacy. Israel declared the city its capital after occupying East al-Quds in 1967 and later took steps to consolidate its control over the city. These measures have not gained broad international recognition. In 1980, Israel adopted a law declaring a 'united Jerusalem' its capital. The UN Security Council rejected this move through Resolution 478, determining that measures seeking to alter the city’s character and status had no legal validity and calling on states that had established diplomatic missions in Jerusalem to withdraw them. Following the resolution, countries that had maintained embassies in Al-Quds moved their missions to Tel Aviv. For decades, the overwhelming international practice was to keep embassies outside the city, reflecting the position that its final status should be determined through negotiations rather than unilateral action. A major departure from that practice came under US President Donald Trump. On December 6, 2017, Trump announced that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The US Embassy was subsequently relocated from Tel Aviv to Quds on May 14, 2018, during his first presidential term. The decision marked a significant shift in longstanding US policy and drew widespread criticism from Palestinians and many governments, which warned that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital without a negotiated settlement prejudged one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States became the first country to move its embassy to Quds in the modern wave of diplomatic relocations following the 2017 announcement. Guatemala followed in May 2018, while Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to the city that year before reversing the decision later in 2018. Honduras moved its embassy in 2021. A small number of other countries have also taken steps to recognize Quds as Israel’s capital or relocate their diplomatic missions there, although most governments have continued to keep their embassies elsewhere.