Negotiations between the United States and Iran, aimed at bringing the nearly three-month war to an end, had just faltered, or reached breaking point.
After US President Donald Trump ordered the short-lived Freedom Project last week, aiming to forcibly restore the freedom of navigation through the vital Strait of Hormuz, tensions heightened with several dangerous developments.
Not only did the American and Iranian navies exchange fire, seeking to assert control of the Strait which represents the exit point for 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas, Tehran also once again resorted to targeting neighbouring Arab Gulf countries, namely the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, to put pressure on the Trump administration to accept its terms for a possible deal.
As in the first stage of the US-Israeli war on Iran, before a shaky ceasefire was reached on 7 April, Egypt has affirmed its position rejecting the Iranian attacks against closely allied Arab Gulf nations. Shortly after the war broke out, President Al-Sisi also carried out significant visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain to send a clear message of solidarity and leave no doubts as to where Egypt stands on this conflict.
Even though, like most Arab and Muslim nations such as Turkey and Pakistan, Egypt had attempted sought to avoid this war, knowing that a military escalation can never settle existing differences between the United States and Iran, this did not mean tolerating any threats to the stability and security of brotherly Arab Gulf nations.
As President Al-Sisi and other top Egyptian officials have repeatedly stated, the security of the Gulf is an integral part of Egypt’s national security. Egyptian-Gulf relations are strategic and firmly established. They are a deeply rooted bond, and their solid foundations of shared history, mutual interests, and strong bonds of brotherhood cannot be affected by momentary change.
This is a permanent and sustainable Egyptian position, stemming from a clear understanding of the importance of integration and cooperation among Arab countries, especially given the historical challenges the region is experiencing. Those challenges demand vigilance and full awareness of the changes the region is witnessing. Being the largest Arab country, Egypt is aware of its responsibility to ensure the stability and security of all other Arab nations, especially in the Gulf.
It is no secret that countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait have all stood by Egypt at critical times, especially during the instability and economic difficulty that followed the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood in early July 2013. This support was not only financial, but also political and strategic, since without stability in Egypt, the entire Arab region would have suffered disintegration and chaos. The Gulf nations also host millions of Egyptians who work in all sorts of fields, helping those nations develop and prosper, and at the same time supporting their families back home and the Egyptian economy.
Egypt’s principled stand in support of brotherly Arab countries and causes is not new. When the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invaded and occupied Kuwait in August 1990, the late president Hosni Mubarak did not think twice. Egypt stood by international law and conventions, backing Kuwait’s sovereignty, and he persuaded most Arab countries to take the same position, and that took place long before any talk of economic support or dropping of debts, reflecting Egypt’s awareness of its role and responsibilities in this region.
In this framework, intensive and regular contacts have been taking place between Egypt and all concerned parties since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran on 28 February. In coordination with the United States, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Egypt has been conveying messages between parties and pushing for serious negotiations to reach mutually acceptable understandings that will contribute to de-escalation, solidifying the ceasefire, and ending the war.
Those contacts and diplomatic efforts aimed at bridging the gap between the warring parties and preventing the region from sliding into a wider confrontation that would spare no country in the region, if not worldwide. All concerned parties must therefore favour wisdom, avoid escalation, and approach the situation from a comprehensive strategic perspective, moving beyond short-sighted, short-term gains.
While some commentators from the Gulf have made allegations that Cairo was not providing enough support while the Gulf faces Iran’s aggressive attacks, prompting similar responses from Egyptian commentators, the visits by President Al-Sisi to the UAE and Oman confirmed that the reality on the ground is totally different, and that strategic ties between countries should not be managed or assessed through social media platforms.
Meanwhile, and despite ongoing fears that full-scale war might break out again now that Trump has rejected the latest Iranian proposals, Egypt will maintain intensive efforts to keep negotiations alive. Besides the direct contacts between President Al-Sisi and world leaders, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has also been heavily engaged in the diplomatic effort around the clock to de-escalate tensions, contain the situation, and prevent the region from descending into chaos.
Reaching a settlement for the ongoing war will serve the interest of all parties involved, except for the current right-wing government in Israel that thrives on wars while pursuing the illusion of redrawing the regional order in Israel’s favour, and dragging the United States further into this conflict.
The experience of the intensive period of fighting between 28 February and 7 April proved that this war has reached its limits, with no side set to achieve all its objectives, topped with the original US-Israeli aim of toppling the Iranian regime in a Venezuela-style operation. At the same time, matters can only deteriorate if the war resumes and Trump carries out his threats to bomb Iran on a huge scale. Iran will certainly inflict more damage on the Gulf.
That is why it is crucial that Egypt should work on both tracks: seeking to end the war, and sending a clear message to Tehran that the security of the Gulf is a red line for Egypt, and that it won’t stand still if Iran continues to threaten Gulf stability and security.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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