Egyptian FM, US envoys discuss regional developments

CAIRO - Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed on Sunday the tense situation in the Middle East with two senior US diplomats.

The discussions were held in two separate phone calls with the US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and US senior adviser for Africa and presidential adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs Massad Boulos, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The call with Witkoff focused on the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly in light of the military confrontation between Israel and Iran.

During the call, Abdelatty stressed the "extreme danger" this escalation poses to regional security and stability.

He emphasized the immediate need to reduce military escalation, contain the situation, and return to political and diplomatic solutions to prevent the region from spiraling into a cycle of violence.

He also stressed the importance of a ceasefire and resuming negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

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 Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists. In response, Iran retaliated with missile and drone barrages aimed at Israeli territory.

The planned sixth round of the Oman-mediated US-Iranian nuclear talks, scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, was canceled following the surge in Israeli-Iranian hostilities.

In his conversation with Boulos, the Egyptian foreign minister addressed the latest developments in Sudan, Libya, and the Great Lakes region.

Both sides agreed on the importance of intensifying cooperation and coordination between Egypt and the United States to advance political solutions for these crises.