Egyptian, UAE presidents discuss developments as US-Iran tensions escalate

The presidents of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates held talks in Alamein on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast on Sunday to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments.

An Egyptian presidency statement said talks between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Emirati counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan focused on recent developments in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to prevent further escalation.

The two leaders reiterated “the vital necessity to maintain close consultation, coordination, and joint action across various issues in light of the current challenges confronting the region,” the statement said.

Regional tensions have escalated in recent days amid an exchange of attacks between Iran and the US.

Last month, Tehran and Washington reached a Pakistani-brokered agreement aimed at ending their military conflict that began after US-Israeli attacks on Iran in February.

The US military’s Central Command said early Sunday it hit some 140 targets in strikes in Iran following another Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, in the third round of attacks this week.

In retaliation, Iran said it launched strikes on US military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman, and closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice.