Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has said he is in direct contact with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to mediate between Iran and the US and help find an end to the war.
US ally Egypt has been seeking a solution to the conflict, offering stakeholders proposals that envisage a ceasefire and free waterways, sources familiar with private deliberations told The National.
Speaking at a press conference in Cairo, Mr Abdelatty said “our only channel with the Iranians is through Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi – we aren’t speaking to anyone else. It is one channel”.
He added Egypt is simultaneously maintaining contact with Washington, positioning itself as a key intermediary. “We are in daily contact with all relevant parties to reduce escalation,” he said, noting co-ordination with Pakistan, Turkey, Gulf states, China, Russia and the European Union.
Under the direction of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Egypt has stepped up mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. “We are working to prevent further expansion of the conflict and to keep the door open for dialogue between the American and Iranian sides,” Mr Abdelatty said.
He warned that “the entire world is suffering from the geopolitical, economic and financial repercussions, with fears of a global slowdown”.
Mr Abdelatty confirmed a US proposal has been passed to Iran. “We hope this will lead to constructive talks between the two sides,” he said, as Iran announced its rejection of a US proposal.
At the same time, he stressed Egypt’s firm backing of regional allies, condemning attacks on Gulf states, Jordan and Iraq. “These countries are not party to the conflict and targeting them is unacceptable under any justification,” he said.
Mr El Sisi visited the UAE and Qatar last Thursday, and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on Saturday. His visits followed a Gulf tour by Mr Abdelatty that took him to the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Jordan.
The current intensity of the Foreign Minister's contacts with his relevant counterparts is testament to Egyptian mediation efforts.
On Tuesday alone, he held talks on the telephone with the foreign ministers of Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Turkey, Pakistan, France and Cyprus. He spoke to his Russian and Iraqi counterparts on Monday. A day earlier, he spoke to the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Iran and US envoy Steve Witkoff.
An Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement on Monday outlined, in diplomatic parlance, what Egypt has been doing to end the war but without as much as a hint of what its mediation bid entails.
“Egypt is making a dedicated effort and continuing its contacts and intense endeavours with all the relevant parties to prevent reaching the point of no-return, avoid further escalation in the region and slipping into comprehensive chaos,” it said.
“Egypt is making all possible efforts in close co-ordination with regional and international parties to persuade all stakeholders to de-escalate and reach a truce that stops the conflict.”
Egypt, at least in theory, is qualified to mediate in the Iran war. A close US ally since the 1970s, it enjoys close relations with Gulf Arab states. It has mended relations with Iran after decades of tension caused by Cairo's decision to give asylum to the late Shah after his removal in the 1979 Islamic revolution, as well as over Tehran's perceived meddling in Arab affairs.
However, Egypt and Iran have not restored full diplomatic relations despite the thaw and Cairo has also been strongly condemning Iran's attacks on its neighbours and calling for them to be halted.
Besides an immediate ceasefire, mediators are proposing that Iran surrenders its most enriched uranium – nearly 600 kilograms at 60 per cent – and accept a five-year moratorium on the production of missiles, as well as a ban on the use of its existing arsenal.
They also want Tehran to halt its patronage of groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Yemen's Houthis and Iraqi militias.
Iran is also required not to interfere or disrupt traffic in the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf or the Red Sea's southern entry point, the Bab Al Mandeb strait. The waterways are crucial to global trade, particularly oil. Iranian attacks on ships transiting Hormuz have pushed energy prices significantly higher and threaten to inflict serious damage on global supply chains.
The Iranians, said the sources, have demanded guarantees that there would be no return to hostilities by the US and Israel after a ceasefire is agreed and the lifting of economic sanctions on the oil-producing giant.
Details of the mediation have emerged at a time when US President Donald Trump is increasingly speaking about the prospect of an end to the war, which is in its fourth week. He said on Tuesday that Iran has agreed not to pursue a nuclear weapon, as negotiations continue to end the war and amid what he described as Tehran’s desire “to make a deal”.
“I don’t want to say in advance but they’ve agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
He said senior US officials – including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Mr Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner – are involved in the talks.
The comments came a day after Mr Trump said he had held “productive conversations” with Tehran and had postponed military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.
Mr Trump has framed the negotiations as a sign of Iran’s weakening position, saying US forces had destroyed key elements of Tehran’s military capabilities, including its navy, communications and missile systems.
