Egypt’s FM holds several calls to contain regional military escalation

CAIRO – March 8, 2026: In an effort to contain the ongoing military escalation between Iran, Israel, and the United States, as well as continued attacks on Gulf states, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a new round of contacts with regional counterparts and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A phone call took place on Saturday, March 7, between Abdelatty and Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of ongoing consultations between the two countries regarding rapidly evolving regional developments amid the dangerous military escalation.

The two ministers exchanged assessments of the widening scope of military confrontations in the region and their extremely serious repercussions for Arab national security.

Abdelatty emphasized the grave danger posed by the continued military operations, warning that the escalation has placed the region’s security at a critical juncture. He stressed the importance of prioritizing de-escalation efforts to prevent the region from being drawn into wider confrontations.

The call also addressed recent attacks targeting several Gulf and other Arab states. Abdelatty affirmed to his Saudi counterpart Egypt’s full support and solidarity with its sister nations in the Gulf Cooperation Council and all Arab states in confronting these attacks, emphasizing that Gulf security is an integral part of Egyptian national security.

The foreign minister reiterated Egypt’s firm stance rejecting any attempts to justify the attacks or any pretexts used to infringe upon the sovereignty of sister nations.

In a separate phone call, Abdelatty spoke with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The two discussed the escalating military situation in the region and its repercussions for regional security and stability.

Abdelatty reviewed the dangerous developments unfolding in the region and their grave political, security, and economic consequences. He emphasized the need for de-escalation and the prioritization of diplomatic solutions to prevent the conflict from spreading and to spare the region further tension and instability.

The foreign minister stressed that continued military escalation would only exacerbate the situation. He reiterated the importance of respecting the sovereignty of states, adhering to the principles of good neighborliness, exercising restraint, and prioritizing dialogue.

For his part, the IAEA Director General expressed appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region. He also commended Egypt’s initiatives aimed at strengthening regional stability and prioritizing diplomatic channels to address ongoing crises.

Meanwhile, another telephone call took place on Sunday between Abdelatty and Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, to discuss the dangerous military escalation in the region. The call came as part of ongoing bilateral coordination ahead of an emergency ministerial meeting of the League of Arab States, on Sunday.

The two ministers exchanged views on the seriousness of the expanding military confrontations. Abdelatty warned that the continuation of military operations poses grave challenges to the security and stability of the entire region, stressing the need for an immediate halt to all forms of escalation and the prioritization of de-escalation efforts to prevent the region from sliding into wider and more destructive confrontations.

The call also addressed the repercussions of attacks targeting Jordanian territory, as well as several other Arab countries. In this context, Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in confronting the consequences of these attacks.

He emphasized Egypt’s condemnation of any violation of Jordan’s sovereignty or threats to its security and stability, rejecting any pretexts used to justify such attacks.

At the conclusion of the call, the two ministers agreed to continue close coordination and intensify bilateral consultations to safeguard Arab national security and protect the interests of the region’s countries and peoples.