CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday discussed efforts to de-escalate regional tensions during separate phone calls with his Kuwaiti and Jordanian counterparts, as conflict continues across the Middle East.
Abdelatty and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah emphasized the need to prioritize diplomacy and intensify efforts to contain current tensions, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
The Egyptian minister warned of the "catastrophic consequences" of continued violence, saying it threatens to plunge the region into chaos and jeopardize international peace and security.
In a separate call with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the two officials underscored the importance of diplomacy as the primary path to restoring regional security and stability. They also discussed preparations for the upcoming Arab League Council ministerial session later this month, stressing the need for a unified Arab position on shared security and political challenges.
On Lebanon, Abdelatty and Safadi reaffirmed their support for Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty. They backed the Lebanese government's commitment to ensuring arms remain exclusively under state control and condemned Israel's aggression against Lebanon and its "expansionist policies in the region."
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States carried out joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East.
Lebanese group Hezbollah entered the confrontation on March 2 by firing rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a Nov. 27, 2024, ceasefire, prompting intensified Israeli strikes across the country. ■
