The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said this was said during a phone call on Saturday, within the framework of ongoing coordination and consultation between Egypt and the United States on rapidly evolving and dangerous regional developments.
The Egyptian top diplomat stressed to the US envoy growing regional concerns amid the escalating military confrontation between Israel and Iran, and the serious threat they pose to the security and stability of the Middle East.
Minister Abdelatty stressed to Witkoff the urgent need to de-escalate tensions, reach a ceasefire between the two sides, and restart US-Iran nuclear negotiations.
For his part, Witkoff briefed the Egyptian minister on Washington's perspective on the unfolding situation and the efforts underway to give diplomacy a chance to contain the crisis.
This was the third phone conversation between Abdelatty and Witkoff on the Israel-Iran situation this week.
Speaking in Istanbul
Earlier on Saturday, in a speech during the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, FM Abdelatty said Egypt has condemned Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, warning that they violate international humanitarian law and relevant United Nations (UN) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolutions.
He said the Israeli aggression on Iran, which began on 13 June, was a direct violation of international law and the UN Charter, had torpedoed Washington-Tehran talks brokered by Oman, aimed at reviving diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme.
“These negotiations aimed to prevent the region from descending into a new wave of escalation and conflict, which would negatively impact all countries in the region.”
Abdelatty reiterated that “there are no military solutions to this crisis,” urging a ceasefire between the two sides, a return to negotiations, and a halt to the current military escalation.”
He also called for a comprehensive approach to Iran’s nuclear file.
He renewed Egypt’s call for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, criticizing Israel’s refusal to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or to place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.
Iranian counterpart
Before speaking to Witkoff, FM Abdelatty discussed the ongoing Israeli aggression on Iran and efforts to de-escalate the conflict between Tel-Aviv and Tehran with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Turkey on Saturday.
According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Minister Abdelatty reviewed with Araghchi intensive diplomatic efforts undertaken in recent days to de-escalate the conflict and achieve a ceasefire.
Adelatty stressed to Araghchi the importance of pursuing diplomatic and political avenues to reach a sustainable agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, to contain the escalating situation, and prevent further instability in the region.
Short link: