Cairo: Egypt's foreign minister has emphasized the need for political solutions to prevent the escalation of regional tensions. Badr Abdelatty, who spoke with US envoy Steve Witkoff, stressed the importance of resuming dialogue and creating conducive conditions for peaceful negotiations, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

According to Anadolu Agency, Abdelatty highlighted the necessity for ongoing joint efforts to prevent further tensions in the region. He reiterated that political and diplomatic solutions are crucial for achieving long-term security and stability. Additionally, he called for intensified international and regional collaboration to contain existing crises, support de-escalation measures, and address the root causes of these issues.

The backdrop to these discussions includes a collapsed ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. Initially, in April, the two nations had agreed to a ceasefire and signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June. However, the deal fell apart last month when the US launched a series of bombardments on Iran, following attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that Washington attributed to Tehran. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Gulf nations hosting US assets.

A recent drone strike at Egypt's Damietta Port resulted in a fire on two vessels, although no group has claimed responsibility. Iranian officials have denied involvement in this incident.

Adding to the complexity, US President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned military strike against Iran after requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries for more time to finalize a peace framework. Trump claimed that a potential agreement would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz and eliminating Iran's nuclear threat. However, Iranian military officials have refuted these claims, labeling them as false, and a source close to Iran's negotiating team denied any agreement to reopen the strait.