Sisi discusses with Bernham Egypt's efforts with partners to contain regional tensions

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday evening to discuss the intensive Egyptian efforts, coordinated with relevant parties and partners, to contain current tensions in the region amid the crisis with Iran, prevent the conflict from escalating, and prioritize diplomatic channels and political solutions to enhance security and stability at both the regional and international levels.

Both sides emphasized the importance of all parties adhering to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, ensuring the full, safe, and sustainable access of humanitarian aid to the Strip without obstacles, as well as accelerating the implementation of early recovery and reconstruction plans.

In Paris, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held active diplomatic consultations on the sidelines of his participation in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7). These consultations included meetings with his American counterpart Marco Rubio, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul. The discussions focused on the tense regional situation and de-escalation efforts.

Abdelatty told the Middle East News Agency that “Egypt calls for collective action to de-escalate tensions and prevent the resumption of military operations in the region, given the potentially grave repercussions, not only for Middle Eastern and African countries but for the entire world.”

He noted that he conveyed several messages to the meetings: “The first is the necessity of collective action and mobilizing efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, and to prioritize political and diplomatic solutions,” stressing that “there are no military solutions to crises,” and warning that “everyone will suffer from the escalation of tensions.”

He added that “the second message concerns the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and the security of sea lanes,” while the third relates to “emphasizing the necessity of providing adequate funding to support development efforts.”

Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm position that the Palestinian issue is the central issue for regional stability, stressing that “sustainable security and stability in the Middle East cannot be achieved without reaching a solution to it.”

Regarding concerns about the situation in southern Lebanon following the end of the UNIFIL mission on December 31, 2026, he warned that terminating the mission would create a vacuum and gaps on the ground that must be avoided, noting that “we cannot allow Israel to have the upper hand and freedom to aggress against southern Lebanon.”

In a judicial development, a court for terrorism appeals sentenced one defendant to 15 years of hard labor and two others to 10 years of hard labor in the retrial of Case No. 21498 of 2024, tried at the Helwan Criminal Court, known as the “Daesh Al-Talabeya Cell.”