Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi issued “a direct appeal” to United States President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war that broke out on February 28 against Iran.
“I address you in my own name, in the name of humanity and of all those who stand for peace. You yourself, Mr. President, are a man of peace… I implore you, help us stop this conflict,” he declared at the EGYPES conference on Monday, March 30, in Cairo.
“You are the only one capable of stopping the war in our region and in the Gulf,” the Egyptian leader told his American counterpart.
Al-Sisi expressed his hope that the crisis would be resolved quickly and favorably, sparing the region the ravages of a war that brings nothing but loss and destruction, stressing the importance of unifying international efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire.
The Middle East war has now entered its second month. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, prompting Iranian retaliatory attacks on American military bases across the Gulf states.
Egypt, which has been stepping up its diplomatic efforts to halt hostilities, took part on Sunday in a meeting in Pakistan between four foreign ministers from the region.
Al-Sisi underscored the urgency of overcoming the current Middle East crisis, which the International Energy Agency (IEA) has described as the most severe crisis in modern history.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll on oil prices, particularly following Tehran’s de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around twenty oil tankers normally pass each day.
“The repercussions of this crisis are manifesting through two successive shocks: first, an energy supply shortage, followed by the negative effect of rising prices,” he lamented.
President Al-Sisi also warned that the continuation of the war would have serious consequences for the global economy, including a sharp rise in the cost of fuel, fertilizers and agricultural products.
AK/Sf/lb/as/APA