Cairo: Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and his peers from Iran and Lebanon, Abbas Araghchi and Youssef Raggi respectively, discussed on Saturday the situations in the region. This was announced during two telephone calls received by Abdelatty from his counterparts, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Abdelatty and his Lebanese peer focused on the worrying escalation in southern Lebanon that poses tensions and instability in the region. The Egyptian minister warned that this escalation might lead to further instability, stressing Egypt's stance supporting Lebanon's state, its national institutions, and stability in the face of security challenges.
Abdelatty highlighted the need for implementing and abiding by the deal of stopping hostilities in southern Lebanon, and the immediate and full withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the area. He also called for empowering the Lebanese army to implement Resolution 1701.
Meanwhile, Abdelatty discussed with his Iranian counterpart the accelerating developments in the region and the need to contain escalation in Gaza, Lebanon, or Yemen. Abdelatty underlined the necessity of self-restraint during this critical phase the region is experiencing, and avoiding actions that could further inflame the situation.
The discussions also touched upon Red Sea developments, with Abdelatty affirming the necessity of protecting sea navigation and highlighting Egypt's economic losses due to the decline in Suez Canal revenues and regional instability. He emphasized the urgency of restoring calm in the region and avoiding a descent into a cycle of violence.
Abdelatty reiterated the importance of consolidating the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and containing the current escalation.