Egypt Discusses Regional De-escalation Efforts with Iran and Oman

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate telephone conversations with his counterparts from Iran and Oman on Saturday to discuss efforts to ease regional tensions and maintain freedom of navigation. According to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdelatty spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi as part of ongoing consultations on regional developments and efforts to restore security and stability. The discussions focused on de-escalation efforts, with Abdelatty stressing the need for an immediate cessation of all military actions and escalation. He also prioritised political and diplomatic solutions to defuse tensions and prevent the expansion of conflict that could harm the region’s people. Abdelatty stated that such efforts would help strengthen regional security and stability while protecting the region’s populations from further escalation and its consequences. He emphasised the need to avoid any measures that could threaten the security of maritime routes or endanger shipping, noting that such steps are necessary to protect the interests of countries in the region and the global economy. The statement came after the arrival of an Omani diplomatic delegation in Tehran on Friday to discuss navigation mechanisms in the Strait of Hormuz. Regional tensions flared again after US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire agreement with Iran void, triggering mutual attacks between the two countries that disrupted shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. The maritime escalation intensified further after Yemen’s Houthi group banned shipping affiliated with Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, prompting retaliatory strikes from the Saudi-led coalition.