Intensive regional and international mediation is under way to de-escalate tensions and contain the situation between the United States and Iran, a former senior Egyptian diplomat said, stressing the need for a comprehensive system of regional security and cooperation. In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Cairo, Mohamed Hegazy, Egypt's former assistant foreign minister, said that the moves aimed to prevent a new round of fighting between the United States and Iran, amid fears that the confrontation could spill over and affect regional security and stability.
He stressed regional countries are making important mediation efforts.
"Regional countries are making important mediation efforts, including partners of the Mecca Agreement, the Qatari government, and Egypt. China and other major powers are also working within the framework of preventing escalation and containing the current situation, which presents two possibilities: the outbreak of a military confrontation, or the success of regional and international mediation in containing the crisis and conveying to both the U.S. and Iranian sides that a decision for war will not have short-term consequences for either of them," he said.
Hegazy stressed that regional security should be the responsibility of the region's own countries through enhanced coordination and cooperation, enabling crises to be addressed without military escalation and fostering a period of stability built on respect for common interests.
"But to achieve stability, we must strive to establish a comprehensive system of regional security and cooperation that leads the countries of the region to rebuild relations among themselves, rebuild what has been destroyed at this stage, and open freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, and that international navigation passages should not be areas of conflict. The Gulf region should also not be a battlefield chosen by the United States and Israel against Iran," he said.
Hegazy noted that current regional and international moves highlight the need for all parties to the conflict to act responsibly and to realize that the consequences of war are not limited only to the parties involved, but extend to regional countries and the rest of the world.
"It must be emphasized to the parties involved in the conflict that the situation is not under their sole control, nor are the consequences borne by them alone; rather, the fallout is far-reaching and harmful to everyone. As outlined in the initiative proposed by [Chinese] President Xi Jinping, the objective is to achieve security and cooperation that benefit all, thereby transcending mere regional and international mediation efforts," he said.
These diplomatic moves come amid continuing signals of mutual escalation, highlighting the fragility of the regional situation and the persistent threat of confrontation. This leaves efforts to defuse the crisis and ease tensions as a test of the parties' ability to prioritize political solutions and avoid a new round of conflict.
Regional diplomatic push aims to de-escalate tensions, build security foundation: official
