In rare Egypt visit, Iran FM calls for regional calm

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned against the expansion of regional conflict during a rare meeting in Cairo Thursday.

Araghchi is the first Iranian foreign minister to visit Cairo since 2013. The stop is part of his multi-country regional tour after Israel vowed to strike back following an Iranian missile barrage against Israel on October 1.

According to a statement from Sisi’s office, the pair discussed “the need to stop regional escalation” and “intensifying efforts towards ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon”.

Iran’s official news agency said Sisi and Araghchi “agreed on the need to intensify efforts to end the crimes in Gaza and the aggression against Lebanon, assist the displaced and prevent the expansion of the Zionist regime’s warmongering reach,” in a reference to Israel.

After decades of strained ties, Tehran and Cairo have undertaken a slow rapprochement in recent years, with diplomatic exchanges increasing over the past year since the outbreak of the Gaza war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.

Egypt has historically played a mediator role between Israeli and Palestinian officials, including Iran-backed Hamas.

But its efforts along with fellow mediators Qatar and the United States have failed to secure a ceasefire in the war, which has since spread to Lebanon where Iran arms and finances Hezbollah.

Araghchi’s diplomatic tour, aiming to contain the wars in Gaza and Lebanon from spreading more widely, has already taken him to Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.

He is expected next to visit Turkey, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.

Iran’s barrage of around 200 missiles was, it said, in retaliation for the killing of two of Iran’s closest allies, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, as well as an Iranian general.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami on Thursday warned that Iran will hit Israel “painfully” if it attacks Iranian targets.

In a call with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday, Araghchi said Tehran is ready for a “decisive and regretful” response if Israel attacks. (BSS/AFP)