On the evening of the 16th local time, the foreign ministers of 21 Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain, Turkey, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, issued a joint statement condemning Israel's attack on Iran for escalating tensions in the Middle East. The statement stressed that "against the backdrop of increasing tensions in the Middle East, Israel must cease hostilities against Iran and work to ease tensions, achieve a ceasefire and comprehensive peace." (CCTV)