Middle Eastern countries urge US, Iran to resolve differences through dialog

Multiple Middle Eastern countries have recently called on the United States and Iran to resume dialog to solve their differences and work toward de-escalating regional tensions as the U.S. continues to exert pressure on Iran.

During a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud said that Saudi Arabia always respects Iran's sovereignty and will not permit any party to use its airspace or territory to launch military operations or attacks of any kind against Iran, regardless of the intended targets.

Saudi Arabia supports all efforts to resolve differences through dialog to promote regional security and stability, he said.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday reaffirmed its commitment not to allow its airspace, territory or waters to be used in any military actions against Iran, according to a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry added that the UAE will not provide any logistical support for hostile military operations against Iran.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday made separate phone talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff on the recent regional developments amid the escalated tensions.

Abdelatty stressed the necessity to intensify efforts to reduce escalation and ease tensions, working to prevent the region from sliding into new cycles of instability, according to an Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement.

Abdelatty also stressed the importance of prioritizing diplomatic channels to reach sustainable political solutions that support regional security and stability.

Also on Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a phone conversation with Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, emphasizing Qatar's support for resolving differences through peaceful means and easing regional tensions by promoting political solutions to maintain regional security and stability.

Attacking Iran would be wrong and would risk reigniting war, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, adding that diplomacy remains viable and that Tehran is ready to re-engage on its nuclear file.

"Attacking Iran is wrong. Restarting the war is wrong," Fidan said in an interview with Al Jazeera, parts of which were aired on Wednesday. "When you begin negotiations, Iran is ready to renegotiate the nuclear dossier," he said.

Fidan said he has consistently advised U.S. officials to address issues with Iran step by step, beginning with the nuclear file.

He said that he visited Iran two months earlier and held frank discussions with the Iranian side, emphasizing the need for Tehran to build trust in the region.

Middle Eastern countries urge US, Iran to resolve differences through dialog

The prolonged closure of the Rafah crossing has left thousands of Palestinians in Gaza unable to travel abroad for medical treatment, education or family reunions, according to residents and health officials.

For many in Gaza, the crossing is more than a border point. After months of near-total isolation, it has become a crucial route for patients seeking care abroad, students hoping to continue their studies and families separated by the conflict.

Health officials say the extended closure has taken a heavy toll. More than 1,000 patients are reported to have died while waiting for permission to travel overseas for medical treatment.

"Our lives are tied to the crossing. If it opens, it gives us life. If it stays closed, we remain in a state of clinical death. I’ve been in the hospital for one hundred days," said Haitham Al-Qanoua, an injured Palestinian.

Hospitals say tens of thousands of patients remain on waiting lists, including children and cancer patients in urgent need of specialized care that is unavailable inside Gaza.

"More than 20,000 citizens have completed referral procedures for treatment abroad and are waiting to travel. Among them are 4,000 children and 4,000 cancer patients. There are also extremely critical cases that require immediate medical evacuation," said Zaher Al-Wahidi, director of the Health Information Center in Gaza.

The closure has also disrupted education plans, leaving many young Palestinians unable to pursue studies overseas.

"I've applied for Ministry of Education scholarships to study abroad in Turkey and Hungary, but I wasn't lucky to get them. Going abroad would help my parents save the money they spent on me in this awful condition. Opening the crossing is extremely important so people can travel, go on with their lives, and for me to complete my education," said Saeed Masoud, a Palestinian student.

For many families, the closure has meant prolonged separation, with relatives stranded on opposite sides of the border.

"I'm waiting for the crossing to open to see my children and my wife. She, with my children, left Gaza to accompany her father who needed medical treatment after he was injured in an Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah. I haven't seen my family for nearly two years, and I miss them deeply," said Ayman Abu Shanab, a displaced Palestinian.

With the Rafah crossing still closed, patients in need of treatment abroad, students seeking to continue their studies and families separated by the conflict remain unable to travel.

Rafah crossing closure strands patients, students, families in Gaza