Iranian foreign minister meets al-Sisi in rare visit to Egypt

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, marking the first high-level visit to Cairo from Tehran in nearly a decade, according to a statement from Egypt’s presidency and reported by Reuters.

The meeting focused primarily on regional developments, with President al-Sisi stressing the importance of restraint to avoid escalating into a full-scale regional conflict.

Araqchi highlighted the need to improve relations between Iran and Egypt, two nations that have been at odds on various issues in recent years. However, the ongoing war in Gaza has opened new channels for diplomatic cooperation, with Egypt playing a mediator role in the current crisis.

Before his meeting with al-Sisi, Araqchi had already met with other Egyptian officials as part of a broader diplomatic tour, which included stops in Lebanon, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. His next destination is Turkey.

Meanwhile, Iran is preparing for a possible Israeli retaliation following Tehran’s missile attacks on October 1st. These attacks were in response to Israel’s assassination of senior Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian military figures. In response, Israel's defense minister has promised a "precise and deadly" reaction.

In a call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Araqchi warned that Iran would deliver a "decisive and regretful" response if Israel follows through with an attack. His office emphasized Tehran's readiness for such a scenario, according to AFP.

The U.S., on its part, has urged Israel to avoid targeting Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities—an action Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would steer clear of, as reported by CNN.