Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has voiced rejection of any expansion of the ongoing regional conflict, stressing the urgent need to halt Israeli military operations “on all regional fronts,” the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The Egyptian President made the remarks during a phone call with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday, in which Sisi warned that continued tension “will inflict grave and formidable harm on all peoples of the region.”
The Egyptian leader stressed that peaceful solutions remain “the sole viable means” to ensure security and stability in the region, calling on the international community to play a more active role in compelling all regional parties to act responsibly.
Sisi also reiterated the urgent need to resume the US-Iranian nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman, which he described as “the best solution to the current tension.”
He further reaffirmed Egypt’s longstanding position on the establishment of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, reports Xinhua news agency.
On the Palestinian issue, the Egyptian President stressed, “A just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue remains the sole guarantor for achieving enduring peace and stability in the Middle East,” according to the statement.
The ongoing Israeli-Iranian conflict started early Friday when Israel launched a series of large-scale air and drone strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, resulting in significant casualties among senior commanders and scientists. In response, Iran retaliated overnight with missile and drone barrages aimed at Israeli territory, including Tel Aviv.
The exchange marks the most direct military confrontation between the two countries to date.
Meanwhile, the planned sixth round of the Oman-sponsored US-Iranian nuclear talks, scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, was cancelled following the surge in Israeli-Iranian hostilities.
(IANS)
