Egypt: Current path of escalation threatens to plunge the region into uncertainty

CAIRO – 21 June 2025: Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, warned that the current path of escalation threatens to plunge the region into uncertainty and a wider conflict, with potentially unprecedented repercussions for regional security and stability. He stressed that this alarming trajectory calls for urgent, coordinated efforts to secure a ceasefire, return to the negotiating table, and halt the ongoing military escalation.

Abdelatty made these remarks during his address on Saturday at the opening session of the 51st meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.

“The region is facing a dangerous escalation following the Israeli aggression against Iran on June 13,” the Foreign Minister stated. “This constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. Egypt condemns this escalation, which threatens both regional and international security and stability."

Abdelatty warned that the Israeli attack undermined the Muscat negotiations—an initiative launched by the Sultanate of Oman to seek a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue. “These negotiations were intended to spare the region from further conflict and fragmentation. Escalation serves no nation’s interests and will only inflict suffering on all countries in the region,” he said.

He reaffirmed Egypt’s position that there is no military solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis and condemned ongoing Israeli strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. Such actions, he stated, violate international humanitarian law, IAEA regulations, and UN Security Council resolutions—many of which Tel Aviv continues to ignore.

“Egypt believes the Iranian nuclear issue must be addressed through a comprehensive security framework that tackles nuclear non-proliferation in the region,” Abdelatty added. He called for the establishment of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and stressed the importance of universal adherence to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), specifically pointing to Israel’s continued refusal to join the treaty or place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, despite repeated international calls.

Turning to the Palestinian issue, the Foreign Minister emphasized that amid ongoing regional crises, the suffering of the Palestinian people must not be overlooked.

“We must not forget the brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the systematic efforts to forcibly displace the resilient Palestinian people from their land—actions that starkly violate international law and legitimacy,” he said.

Abdelatty praised the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. “Today, more than ever, we bear a historic responsibility to confront attempts to impose a fait accompli on the Palestinian people, to stop Israeli violations, and to affirm that no lasting solution can be achieved without addressing the root causes of regional crises—chief among them, the occupation of Palestinian territories.”

He reiterated Egypt’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause as a central pillar of its foreign policy. Egypt, he noted, has been working with Qatar and other partners since the onset of the war to secure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, and bring an end to the violence.

Abdelatty also welcomed the growing international support for Palestinian rights and condemned the blockade and collective punishment in Gaza. He highlighted the adoption of the Arab-Islamic Plan for the Reconstruction of Gaza, endorsed by OIC member states and supported internationally. He stressed the importance of developing concrete mechanisms to begin implementing the plan immediately following a ceasefire, including the convening of a high-level international conference in Cairo to support its execution.

Beyond Palestine, Abdelatty addressed several other regional crises including Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. As for Sudan, Abdelatty said that Egypt has made consistent efforts to restore stability, respecting Sudan's sovereignty and unity. Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s support for a Sudanese-led political process free of foreign interference.

Regarding Syria, he reaffirmed Egypt’s backing of the Syrian people and called for an inclusive political transition that maintains Syria’s territorial integrity and state institutions. He also condemned repeated Israeli violations of Syrian and Lebanese sovereignty, urging Israel’s immediate withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, southern Lebanon, and remaining Syrian territories in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

As for Libya, the Foreign Minister underscored Egypt’s continued efforts to achieve national reconciliation and support a comprehensive political process that ensures the simultaneous holding of presidential and parliamentary elections, the expulsion of foreign forces and militias, and the preservation of Libya’s unity.

On Yemen, Abdelatty called for a comprehensive political settlement to end the prolonged humanitarian crisis and restore the country’s unity and institutional legitimacy.

Regarding Somalia, he reaffirmed Egypt’s full support for Somalia’s government and people, urging the international community to strengthen Somalia’s security and institutional stability as an essential element of broader regional peace.