Middle East Leaders Urge Diplomacy to End War in Middle East

CAIRO: Leaders from the Middle East called for urgent diplomatic efforts to contain rising regional tensions after the United States and Israel continued joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

The appeals came during an emergency video conference convened by the European Union, which brought together officials and leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council states as well as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, Iraq, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said all parties must exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to reduce escalation. In a statement issued by Egypt’s presidency, he said resolving conflicts through peaceful means remains the best path to stability and security and called for an immediate halt to attacks on Arab countries.

Abdullah II also stressed the need for diplomacy to curb the mounting tensions, warning of attempts to expand the conflict by targeting stable Arab states, according to Jordan’s Royal Court.

Meanwhile, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said Bahrain, other GCC countries and Jordan had faced unprecedented missile and drone attacks from Iran. He urged the international community to act to safeguard global maritime traffic and trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa warned the escalating crisis poses an “existential threat” to the region, citing risks to global economic stability and rising security pressures on neighboring countries.

The latest tensions follow joint U.S.-Israeli strikes launched on Feb. 28 targeting Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran has since responded with waves of missile and drone attacks against Israeli and U.S. military installations across the region.

By agencies.