Abdul-Aati: Negotiations have slipped out of diplomats' hands and are being run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard

Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty confirmed that “Egypt is facing a region engulfed by crises, while it works to mediate between the United States and Iran, contain the war in the Gaza Strip, and at the same time protect its share of Nile waters.”

In an interview with the program “The Truth with Hadley Gamble,” he added, “We are living in a highly volatile region; it is a place where the future is unpredictable. The situation is at a dead end, there is a problem, and currently there is neither peace nor war. The agreement was supposed to lead to the easing of sanctions and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but neither has been achieved.”

He further stated that “Iran has assured him of its readiness and commitment to the framework agreement, but there are doubts regarding who controls the decision-making process in the country. Negotiations have now moved out of the hands of diplomats and are being managed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, we must continue engaging with our counterparts to push for peaceful solutions. The goal is to develop the framework agreement into a final peace settlement that addresses all contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, the sanctions imposed by the United States, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and a permanent ceasefire.”

Abdel Aty emphasized that “the Egyptian economy is facing a perfect storm, resulting from the combined impacts of the Gaza war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and Houthi attacks on navigation in the Red Sea. The repercussions on shipping through the Suez Canal have cost Egypt approximately $11 billion.”

He noted that “as efforts to achieve a long-term peace in Gaza continue to stall, Israel remains the biggest obstacle. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey have managed to bring together all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, in Cairo, and reach an agreement on the next steps to implement the US-brokered peace plan for the Strip.”

The Egyptian minister continued, “Hamas and other Palestinian factions have agreed to hand over all heavy and light weapons and to proceed with the Palestinian National Authority assuming temporary control of Gaza. However, the first phase of the peace plan has not yet been fully implemented. There are conditions, including the entry of 600 aid trucks daily into the Strip and the commencement of hospital reconstruction efforts, which have not been met.”

He stressed that “winter is approaching, and people cannot endure these harsh conditions. The Israelis are not allowing convoys to enter, nor are they permitting even tents. There are efforts within the Arab League to reach collective security arrangements based on the establishment of a Palestinian state, respect for sovereignty, and the rejection of non-state actors.”

He added, “Egypt continues to face increasing numbers of refugees. Among the 10 million refugees currently present, 5.5 million are from Sudan and 1.5 million from Syria. We will not allow the division of Sudan, because if it happens, it will be split into three or four Sudans, which is not an option for us. Cairo is working with the African Union and the Arab League to call for a humanitarian ceasefire and a Sudanese-led political process.”

He concluded that “the most pressing issue for Egypt at present is water security, which represents an existential threat to the country, even transcending the matter of national security due to its existential nature. Egypt receives 55.5 billion cubic meters out of the 1.6 trillion cubic meters of rain that fall annually in the Nile Basin.”

He clarified that “Ethiopia receives 900 billion cubic meters of rainfall annually, so we receive only 3% of the total water reaching the region. In contrast, Egypt’s annual water demand stands at approximately 94 billion cubic meters, meaning that Nile waters currently cover only about 60% of total needs. The shortfall is made up through water recycling, but pressures are mounting on Cairo as the country’s population grows by 2.5 million people annually, following 13 years of stalemate in negotiations with Ethiopia.” He stressed that “Egypt reserves the right to take action, and if any harm occurs that could disrupt the flow of water, we have the right to defend ourselves in accordance with international law.”