Egypt is working with Russia to de-escalate Middle East conflict, says FM Abdelatty

Ahram Online , Friday 3 Apr 2026

Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty affirmed in a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday that Egypt is working with Russia and other concerned parties to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty shake hands at the end of a joint press conference following their talks at Zinaida Morozova's Mansion in Moscow on April 3, 2026. AFP

The press conference took place on the sidelines of the Egyptian FM’s official visit to Moscow.

“We continue working with Pakistan and Turkey to prioritize the path of diplomacy, stop regional escalation, and ensure the security and freedom of navigation,” the Egyptian FM said during the conference.

Abdelatty stressed Egypt’s intensive efforts to reach a political solution to the war in Iran through adopting dialogue and negotiation mechanisms and avoiding the use of force.

He further emphasized de-escalation, warning against targeting civilian and energy facilities and disrupting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We hope reason and rationality will prevail in managing the current conflict in the Middle East,” Abdelatty said during the conference.

The Egyptian FM said that military solutions lead to destruction and instability. He also warned of the global consequences of the ongoing military escalation in the region.

“The entire world is paying the price of Iran’s war,” the Egyptian FM stressed.

For his part, Lavrov said that Moscow is coordinating with Cairo at the UN regarding the war in Iran. He affirmed that the two countries have called for a political and diplomatic settlement to the war there.

Egypt-Russia ties

During the conference, Abdelatty said that the implementation of major Russian projects in Egypt is clear proof of the "strategic and historic" relations between Egypt and Russia. He expressed his aspiration to see the Russian industrial zone in Egypt become a global manufacturing and export platform.

“We value Russian tourism to Egypt and stress the importance of increasing air connectivity between Egyptian and Russian airports,” Abdelatty added.

In return, Lavrov emphasized the resilience of the historic relations between Cairo and Moscow. He affirmed that these relations have endured despite difficult challenges.

“We emphasize the strategic nature of Egyptian-Russian relations,” Lavrov said, adding that Moscow sets great store by the progress achieved in the Russian industrial zone in Egypt.

Moreover, Lavrov emphasized the significant progress made on three major Russian projects in Egypt.