Egypt has called for the swift conclusion of an agreement between the United States and Iran, warning that continued tensions in the Middle East risk exacerbating the region’s security, economic, and geopolitical challenges amid growing fears of a broader conflict.
In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the “utmost importance” of reaching a US-Iran agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties, particularly countries in the region. Cairo said such an agreement would help prevent further escalation, restore stability, and resolve outstanding issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The appeal comes as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to preserve momentum in negotiations with Tehran. According to media reports citing US and Israeli sources, US President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from retaliatory actions against Iran and allow diplomacy additional time to achieve a breakthrough. The reports indicated that Trump expressed confidence that Washington was close to securing a “good agreement” with Tehran, prompting Netanyahu to postpone further action.
Despite those efforts, tensions continued to rise. Israel announced early Monday that it had carried out air strikes against military targets in western and central Iran. Iranian media reported explosions in Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan, while Israeli reports said the strikes targeted more than 10 locations, including air-defence systems and ballistic missile facilities.
Iran responded with a fresh wave of missile launches towards central Israel, with some projectiles reportedly reaching areas near Beersheba. US officials quoted in media reports said Washington was not involved in the Israeli strikes.
In comments to NBC News, Trump said the United States and Iran were “very close” to reaching an agreement but ruled out lifting sanctions or unfreezing Iranian assets before a final deal is concluded. He added that any agreement would include measures to recover and eliminate highly enriched uranium and warned that Washington would continue efforts to weaken Iran’s military capabilities if negotiations fail.
Tehran, meanwhile, warned that it would respond forcefully to any further Israeli attacks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country’s priority remains safeguarding national security and maintaining domestic stability. The Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters announced a suspension of attacks against Israel but warned that any new Israeli military action would trigger a “stronger and more decisive” response.
Iranian media also reported that attacks targeting the country’s energy infrastructure would be met with strikes against oil and gas facilities associated with Israel, the United States, and their regional allies.
The developments coincided with diplomatic outreach from Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the objective of US-Iran negotiations appeared to be within reach and called on all parties to exercise restraint.
Elsewhere, tensions remained elevated in Lebanon. Israel said it had targeted Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs, while Hezbollah announced attacks on Israeli forces and military vehicles in southern Lebanon using rockets and drones.
Egypt urged all parties to abide by international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, respect state sovereignty, avoid the use of force, and prioritise political and diplomatic solutions.
The Foreign Ministry also called for broader regional understandings to address ongoing crises, particularly the Palestinian issue, while renewing attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Cairo, a successful diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran could help reduce tensions across the Middle East and create an opportunity for broader regional stability and conflict resolution.
