Yemen Monitor/Cairo/Agencies:
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry warned his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, on Sunday of the extension of regional conflict to the Red Sea and its harmful impact on international maritime trade. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that during a phone call with Abdollahian, Shoukry expressed “Egypt’s deep concern over the widening scope of conflict in the region, especially in the southern Red Sea region, and its serious implications on maritime navigation and the flow of international trade.”
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry added that “Shoukry warned of the serious repercussions that
may have on the stability of the region, international peace, and security,” confirming that “the expansion of conflict negatively affects regional and international efforts to achieve peace and resolve the crisis.” The statement mentioned that “the ministers extensively discussed developments related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the course of Egyptian-Iranian relations.”
The ministers reiterated their “rejection of all scenarios aimed at displacing Palestinians from Gaza and their opposition to any ground military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah.” Additionally, they agreed on the necessity of ensuring full and continuous access to humanitarian aid to Gaza, removing Israeli obstacles that hinder it, and adhering to relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The two ministers agreed to “continue consultations on bilateral relations between the two countries in the coming period to restore them to normal.” They also discussed ways to resolve the crisis in Gaza and address the associated challenges.”
Maritime navigation in the Egyptian Suez Canal, a major source of the country’s foreign currency income, has been affected by tensions in the Red Sea, prompting many maritime shipping companies to resort to alternative routes such as the Cape of Good Hope.
The Houthis in Yemen, aligned with Iran, have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 in a campaign claimed to be in solidarity with Palestinians due to Israel’s brutal military attacks on Gaza. This led the US and UK to conduct retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi targets on different areas in Yemen since last January.
