Egyptian president hosts Iranian FM for first high-level visit since 2013
Tehran's top diplomat has visited several Arab nations as part of a diplomatic tour that seeks to halt the expansion of the Israeli war in the region
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the presidential palace in Cairo on 17 October, marking the first visit by a senior Iranian official to the North African nation since 2013.
According to the office of the Egyptian president, the meeting focused on “reviewing the current developments” in the region and on ways to avoid the expansion of the US-Israeli war, with Sisi stressing the need to prevent a full-scale regional war.
For his part, Araghchi emphasized his country’s “appreciation for Egypt’s ongoing efforts to achieve stability and security in the region, as well as the need to explore prospects for mutual development of relations between Tehran and Cairo.”
Iran’s top diplomat landed in the Egyptian capital on Wednesday evening as part of a broader diplomatic tour that has included stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar, Iraq, Lebanon, and Oman.
Ahead of his meeting with Sisi, the Egyptian foreign ministry issued a statement saying that Araghchi’s visit “aligns with Egypt’s endeavors to prevent further escalation in the region and secure a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.”
On Thursday, Araghchi met with Jordanian King Abdullah II as the two officials called for greater cooperation and solidarity among Muslim nations in West Asia in a bid to halt the US-Israeli war machine.
Both sides also underscored their determination to develop bilateral ties and continue talks regarding regional developments.
Ahead of his meeting with the Jordanian monarch, Araghchi held talks with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who reportedly told the Iranian official the Hashemite kingdom “would not allow any parties to violate its airspace.”
Jordan will “not be a battlefield for anyone and will not allow any party to violate its sovereignty and airspace and threaten its citizens’ security,” Ayman Safadi said in his meeting with Araghchi, according to local media.
Amman has played a vital role in helping Israel repel two Iranian retaliatory attacks this year. Safadi’s warning comes as Tel Aviv has reportedly completed preparations for its escalation against Iran.