Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty Speaking at a consultative ministerial meeting in Riyadh, Abdelatty. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
Speaking at a consultative ministerial meeting in Riyadh, Abdelatty characterized the strikes as a grave breach of international law, the UN Charter, and the principles of good neighbourliness.
He warned that such actions undermine ongoing efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution to the escalating conflict.
The Riyadh gathering brought together the top diplomats of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan to address the growing military confrontation in the region.
According to a statement from Egypt’s foreign ministry, Abdelatty reiterated Cairo's "absolute solidarity" with the targeted nations and voiced support for any measures they take to protect their sovereignty and citizens.
He cautioned that continued escalation could have severe political, security, and economic repercussions, including significant risks to maritime security.
The Egyptian minister reaffirmed Cairo’s long-standing position that Arab national security is inseparable from Egypt's own security, the statement added.
The meeting saw unanimous condemnation of the Iranian strikes, which have targeted Gulf states, Jordan, and other nations.
Participants also stressed the urgent need for an immediate halt to the attacks and emphasized the importance of fully respecting the principles of good neighbourliness and adhering to international law.
The talks in Riyadh came as Tehran intensified its retaliatory strikes following a US-Israeli operation that began on February 28.
The Iranian response, which initially targeted US military bases in the Gulf, Jordan, and Iraq, escalated on Wednesday to include major energy facilities across the region.
Among the sites struck were Qatar’s Ras Laffan -- the world’s largest gas hub -- Kuwait’s Mina Abdullah and Mina Al-Ahmadi refineries, and Saudi Arabia's Samref refinery.
In response to the nearly three-week-long conflict, oil markets have surged, with benchmark Brent crude topping $119 a barrel on Thursday.
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