Tensions in the Middle East: Al-Arabi-Al-Jadid newspaper reported this morning (Wednesday) from security sources in Cairo that Egypt had warned Iran not to try to harm Israeli tourists in its territory. “The talks between the parties included confirmation from Egyptian sources of the danger of an Iranian attempt to harm Israelis in Egypt, in retaliation for the chain of assassinations of senior Revolutionary Guards attributed to Israel. Cairo warned Tehran that such an attempt would significantly damage relations between the two countries,” they said.
“The Egyptian warning to Tehran came after leaks to Cairo from the Israeli side, claiming that Egypt and the UAE had entered areas that could harm Israelis, following the announcement of the success of Israeli-Turkish coordination in thwarting Israelis’ attack on Turkish soil, prompting Iranians to think of areas.”
On the other hand, the sources said that “the Iranian side assured Egyptian officials that the Israeli allegations of attempts to harm Israeli tourists in third countries are false, and that Iran is interested in not harming peace with Egypt.”
As you may recall, yesterday the newspaper reported that Egypt would oppose any idea of participating in a military coalition against Iran. According to the report, political and military elements in Egypt have sent messages that their country opposes any military alliance against the Islamic Republic, and recently stressed this again in the Egyptian media. Sources stressed that senior Egyptian army commanders had explicitly stated their opposition to this alliance and any direct confrontation with Iran.
They explained that “this issue was raised within the framework of security and military institutions in Egypt, after the publication of the issue and the establishment of a military alliance against Iran in the Middle East.” This, after the president, ‘Abd al-Fatah al-Sisi, visited Oman yesterday, in order to “convey a message to the Iranians” that “Egypt is by no means ready for a direct confrontation with Iran.”
Other Egyptian sources said that “al-Sisi’s opinion reflects the views and perspectives within the military and Egyptian establishment, for many reasons there is no need to clash with Iran. Such a confrontation would never happen.At the same time, sources reported that during the last visit of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hemed al-Thani to Egypt, this issue was apparently addressed.
This morning, Qatari Al-Jazeera reported that Jordan had also denied any intention to join a military alliance that includes Israel. The kingdom’s foreign minister, Ayman a-Safdi, stressed that “there is no such proposal, and Jordan will not be in such an alliance, the issue is also not on the agenda during US President Joe Biden’s reviews in the region in July.”