Ashraf AboArafe
In line with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to intensify diplomatic efforts aimed at containing the escalating military confrontation between Iran and Israel, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, held two urgent phone calls on Tuesday, June 17, with Mr. Steve Witkoff, special envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump to the Middle East, and Mr. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Minister Abdelatty stressed during both calls the urgent need to de-escalate tensions and prioritize diplomatic and political solutions to prevent a full-scale regional war.
He emphasized the necessity of an immediate ceasefire and a return to serious negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, affirming Egypt’s consistent position that military solutions will only lead to further chaos and instability.
In a striking development, these calls come amid growing questions over whether Israel’s recent strike on Iranian territory was carried out with prior U.S. knowledge—despite ongoing indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Observers have gone so far as to accuse Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, of deceiving Iranian officials under the guise of diplomacy while tacitly backing Israeli military plans—a scenario that has reignited concerns over the strategic manipulation by the so-called “Zio-American alliance” to undermine any prospect of regional peace.
Minister Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s commitment to supporting peace efforts and preventing the region from spiraling into broader conflict.
