Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi urges an immediate halt to Israeli military strikes and warns of escalating regional conflict. He calls for resumed diplomacy, especially on US-Iran nuclear talks, and emphasizes a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue as key to long-term Middle East stability.
In a stark warning amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has called for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations and emphasized the urgent need to prevent further conflict expansion in the region. His remarks came during a phone call on Sunday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, as reported in a statement by the Egyptian presidency.
President Sisi expressed Egypt’s deep concern over the ongoing Israeli-Iranian conflict, which has already triggered severe consequences across the region. He stressed that continued hostilities would “inflict grave and formidable harm on all peoples of the region,” and reiterated his government’s firm stance against any widening of the current regional conflict.
The Egyptian leader emphasized the necessity of peaceful dialogue and diplomacy, stating that peaceful solutions remain “the sole viable means” to guarantee long-term security and stability in the Middle East. He called on the international community to assume a greater responsibility in compelling all involved parties to act with restraint and prioritize peace over provocation.
Sisi’s intervention follows one of the most intense flare-ups in recent Middle Eastern history. The conflict erupted early Friday when Israel launched a large-scale air and drone assault targeting key Iranian nuclear and military sites. The strikes reportedly caused significant casualties, including the deaths of several senior Iranian commanders and scientists.
In retaliation, Iran responded with an overnight barrage of missiles and drones aimed at multiple locations in Israel, including Tel Aviv. This exchange represents the most direct military confrontation between the two nations in recent memory, raising fears of a full-scale war and triggering widespread international concern.
Amid these developments, the scheduled sixth round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations, which was to be held in Muscat, Oman on Sunday, was cancelled. The Oman-mediated talks, aimed at reviving the stalled 2015 nuclear agreement, were expected to serve as a potential diplomatic off-ramp to growing tensions between Washington and Tehran. The cancellation underscores the fragility of the diplomatic process and the escalating stakes of regional conflict.
President Sisi used the occasion to reiterate Egypt’s longstanding call for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. He emphasized the urgency of resuming the US-Iranian nuclear negotiations, which he described as “the best solution to the current tension.”
Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sisi underscored that a just and comprehensive resolution remains the only sustainable path to achieving enduring peace in the region. “A just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue remains the sole guarantor for achieving enduring peace and stability in the Middle East,” he said.
Egypt, which shares borders with both Israel and the Gaza Strip, has traditionally played a mediating role in Middle Eastern conflicts. Cairo’s position has been one of cautious diplomacy, advocating for de-escalation and the revival of stalled peace processes. Sisi’s recent statement signals a growing alarm in Cairo over the possibility that an Israeli-Iranian confrontation could spiral into a broader regional war involving multiple state and non-state actors.
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The Egyptian President’s outreach to Cyprus also points to the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict. As a member of the European Union and a Mediterranean neighbor, Cyprus plays a strategic role in regional stability and security cooperation.
With the international community watching closely, President Sisi’s call for de-escalation serves as both a warning and a plea for renewed diplomatic engagement. His remarks reflect the broader concern that without immediate and coordinated international action, the Middle East could descend into a deeper and more dangerous crisis with consequences far beyond the region.
