Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that any interference in the Yemen war by Egypt or any other country would make the situation "more difficult", even as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi stressed that Cairo’s role is limited to defending Saudi territory and not launching attacks into Yemen.
"Egypt has sufficient experience to avoid entangling itself in such a highly complex conflict," said Iran's top diplomat in an interview with Iraqi state broadcaster Al-Iraqiya on Wednesday.
"We believe that any foreign presence or interference will only make resolving this issue more difficult," Araghchi noted.
Araghchi added that Egypt has said it "will not enter Yemen or engage in a war against Yemen".
Sisi also said on Wednesday that Egypt’s military support for Saudi Arabia does not include launching attacks on Yemen, stressing that Cairo’s role is limited to defending the Kingdom’s territory and borders.
“The Egyptian military effort is intended to defend the Kingdom’s territory and does not include an attack on Yemen,” el Sisi said.
Vote on October 26
Egypt’s parliament postponed a vote on authorising potential military support to help defend Saudi Arabia, rescheduling the decision for October 26 as regional security tensions rise.
Sisi asked lawmakers to approve military support for Saudi Arabia if requested by the kingdom, which has come under near-daily attacks from the Houthi militia.
The Egyptian president said Cairo was not seeking to "confront or attack anyone", adding: "We are speaking only about defence."
He explained that Egypt’s military role involves defending Saudi Arabia’s territory and borders, as well as those of any other Arab country that requests Cairo’s assistance.
Sisi stressed that Egyptian military efforts would not extend beyond Egypt’s borders or those of a fellow Arab country whose security and stability Cairo seeks to protect.
He also emphasised that Arab national security is "indivisible", saying the stability of Gulf countries is closely linked to Egypt’s national security.
Houthi attacks
The Egyptian president said Cairo’s support for Gulf countries reflects its commitment to collective Arab security.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthi militia seized the capital, Sanaa, and several provinces in 2014.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
A United Nations-brokered truce that took effect in April 2022 brought a period of relative calm after years of fighting.
Recent Houthi militia attacks on Saudi Arabia have renewed concerns about the durability of that calm and the risk of further regional instability.
