Egypt discussed with Saudi Arabia and the UAE efforts to contain the current crisis in the region in light of growing indicators of escalation, in conjunction with many regional movements aimed at giving priority to diplomatic solutions, reducing tension, avoiding expanding confrontations, and moving towards resolving regional problems through negotiation.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement on Wednesday, that Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati held a call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss “the latest developments in the regional situation, efforts to contain the current crisis, prevent escalation, the possibilities of which have increased in the recent period, and work to advance political and peaceful solutions through dialogue.”
According to the official spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Nader Zaki: “The two ministers agreed to continue close consultation and coordination at both levels: bilaterally, and within the framework of the quadrilateral ministerial mechanism that includes both Turkey and Pakistan.”
The Quartet mechanism includes Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and aims to enhance consultation and coordination on reducing escalation and supporting political solutions to regional crises.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister also made a phone call with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which they discussed the latest developments at the regional level, especially with growing indications of the possibility of escalation in the region during the coming period, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
The spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that Abdel Ati, in his conversation with his Emirati counterpart, touched on the need for the countries of the region to join forces and mobilize continuous efforts in order to reach peaceful solutions and return all parties to the peaceful political path to avoid the region sliding into a more dangerous phase of the current crisis.
The contacts coincide in light of mediation efforts to contain tension between Washington and Tehran, and the continuing disagreements over the conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. They also come after the Egyptian House of Representatives (Parliament) approved, on Monday, by a two-thirds majority of its members, to authorize President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to take the necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia and defend its lands, sovereignty, and sanctities, in coordination between the two countries.
Last week, Turkey hosted talks between the eastern and western Libyan administrations with the aim of unifying them, but they did not lead to an agreement, according to what a senior Turkish official familiar with the talks told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.
The official said, “The talks have focused mainly, so far, on unifying (the two sides) militarily, while it is expected to address their political unification at a later stage.”
The Tunisian official news agency reported on Tuesday that the criminal chamber responsible for examining terrorism cases at the Court of First Instance sentenced Ennahdha leader Munther El Ounissi to nine years in prison, and four years to prison for journalist Ziad El Hani, with immediate effect.
The agency quoted a judicial source as saying that the ruling came “for crimes of omission... with the actions they were able to see and the information or guidance they received about committing a terrorist crime, or the possibility of committing it, and establishing contacts with agents of a foreign country, the purpose of which was to harm the country’s diplomatic situation in Tunisia linked to terrorist crimes.”
Thuraya Al-Zawari Al-Hani, the wife of journalist Ziad Al-Hani, said, according to Reuters, that the sentence issued against her husband was “unjust,” considering that the case witnessed his transformation from a witness to a defendant.
She added that her husband asked the court to hold his trial in his presence, but his request was rejected and the session was conducted remotely.
The case dates back to September 2023, following the leak of an audio recording attributed to Ounissi, who was then acting president of the Ennahdha Movement. Al-Hani was summoned at the first stage as a witness in the case, before his status was changed to that of an accused.
In the same case, the court ruled in absentia to 25 years in prison, with immediate effect, against a number of defendants referred for absconding, including Rafiq Bouchlaka, Ahmed Gaaloul, Maher Zaid, and Sheherazade Okasha.
Al-Hani was arrested in April 2026 in a separate case, and is serving a prison sentence in connection with a previous ruling.
