Egypt and Russia discussed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution on Wednesday as part of urgent diplomatic efforts to contain the “rapidly accelerating” conflict in the Middle East.
In a telephone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned of the “dangerous repercussions” of continued violence, stating that the military escalation threatens both regional and international peace and security. Abdelatty emphasised the need for intensified coordination to prevent the region from “sliding into wider confrontations” that would destabilise the entire territory.
The two ministers also addressed the Ukrainian crisis during the call. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s “consistent position”, calling for political efforts and peaceful settlements through dialogue and diplomacy to maintain global stability.
The discussion with Moscow was the centrepiece of a wider diplomatic push by Cairo. In a separate, high-stakes call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Abdelatty issued a sharp rebuke of recent Iranian military actions. He expressed Egypt’s “complete condemnation and rejection” of Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq, as well as Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Abdelatty told Araghchi that there is “no justification or pretext” for such violations of sovereignty, warning that the current trajectory could lead to “total chaos.” He urged a return to the principle of good neighbourliness and the prioritisation of a diplomatic path as the “only way” to contain the tension.
Further coordination occurred with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, who thanked Egypt for its assistance in evacuating Portuguese nationals through Egyptian territory. Abdelatty briefed Rangel on Cairo’s stance, reiterating the condemnation of any targeting of Arab state security.
In regional consultations with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Abdelatty focused on protecting international navigation and managing the evacuation of Egyptian citizens from neighbouring conflict zones. He praised the support provided by Jordanian authorities in these efforts.
Across all communications, Egypt’s top diplomat stressed that the international community must work urgently to prioritise dialogue over military solutions to avoid a “catastrophic” expansion of the conflict.
