TEHRAN – Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Saturday afternoon.

The two Iranian and Egyptian top diplomats met on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in the capital of Gambia.

The discussion focused on recent developments both regionally and bilaterally, with particular attention to the situation unfolding in Palestine and Gaza, including efforts to curb the Zionist regime's violations against Palestinians.

At the outset, both ministers recognized the cordial exchanges between their presidents and emphasized their leaders' shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. Updates on regional affairs, notably concerning Palestine and the Gaza conflict, were also exchanged.

During their meeting, Amir Abdollahian extended gratitude for Egypt's proactive measures in addressing the Gaza crisis and reiterated Iran's readiness to extend humanitarian assistance to the region, urging Cairo's collaboration in these humanitarian efforts.

Reflecting on an agreement between the two nations' presidents, Amir Abdollahian highlighted the importance of religious delegations' exchanges to foster interfaith dialogue, a notion endorsed by Egypt. 

Addressing the recent terrorist attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus by the Israeli regime, the Iranian foreign minister expressed appreciation for Egypt's condemnation of the act and outlined Iran's defensive measures. 

Sameh Shoukry expressed satisfaction with the meeting, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to dialogue with Iran and the advancement of bilateral relations. He expressed optimism that ongoing political and diplomatic endeavors would contribute to halting the Gaza conflict and safeguarding Palestinian rights.

Shoukry condemned Israel's assaults on Palestinian civilians and reiterated Egypt's stance against further escalation in the region. Both ministers expressed hope that the Islamic Cooperation Summit in Gambia would serve as a platform to bolster unity among Islamic nations in advocating for Palestinians and tackling regional challenges.

After meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister, Amir Abdollahian took to his X account and shared insights from his trip to Gambia.

"During the OIC meeting in Gambia, I had fruitful discussions with Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Egypt's foreign minister, covering recent developments in bilateral relations and regional dynamics, with a significant focus on the situation in Gaza and ongoing efforts to halt the Zionist regime's atrocities against Palestinians," he remarked.

This meeting held particular significance as Egypt is eager to maintain strong ties with Iran, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and collaborate in efforts to curb Israeli abuses in Palestine.

Egyptian, Qatari, and American officials are facilitating discussions for a ceasefire in Cairo.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday to participate in the negotiations.

As Israel threatens to launch a ground operation in Rafah, southern Gaza, mediators have intensified efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.

During the meeting with Amir Abdollahian, Shoukry reiterated Egypt's opposition to any Israeli military intervention in Rafah during discussions with his Iranian counterpart.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Amir Abdollahian departed for Banjul on Friday to attend the event, which will be held on May 4-5.

The session will be held under the slogan "Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development". The participants were to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to the Muslim world, including the developments in Palestine, particularly Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.

The conference was preceded by a preparatory meeting on April 30 and May 1, when senior OIC officials discussed the documents of the session and submitted their report to the meeting of the Council of Foreign ministers’ preparatory meeting.

On the sidelines of the conference, Amir Abdollahian also held meetings with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The main focus of these meetings was the enhancement of bilateral ties between Iran and the respective countries.

The Iranian foreign minister plans to explicate the Islamic Republic's stance on the Muslim world issues as well as the regional and international developments.

The 15th conference will issue a final communique that includes the OIC's positions on the issues submitted to the event, a resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds, and the Banjul Declaration.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023 after Palestinian Resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.

Since the inception of the military onslaught, the regime has killed at least 34,622 Palestinians. More than 77,867 Palestinians have sustained injuries as well.