Egypt, US, and France Discuss Extending Washington-Tehran Ceasefire to Lebanon
Middle East, 09 April 2026 – Egypt, the United States, and France explored ways to strengthen the US-Iran ceasefire and expand the truce to include Lebanon, officials said Thursday.
Diplomatic Talks Take Place
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone calls with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, and US envoy Steve Witkoff. According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty and Witkoff highlighted the urgent need for swift action to reduce tensions and solidify the ceasefire.
Abdelatty warned that Israeli attacks on Lebanon “undermine regional and international efforts to achieve lasting calm.” He reaffirmed Egypt’s firm stance on halting all Israeli operations to ensure stability and prevent escalation into widespread conflict.
Meanwhile, discussions with Barrot focused on the rapidly changing situation in Lebanon. Both diplomats stressed the priority of stopping Israeli attacks and achieving de-escalation during this critical moment for the Middle East.
Background on the Ceasefire
The US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, brokered by Pakistan, as a step toward a broader agreement to halt hostilities that began on February 28. While Islamabad and Tehran said the ceasefire includes Lebanon, Washington and Tel Aviv have denied this.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 303 people and wounded 1,150 on Wednesday alone. Since March 2, the overall death toll has reached 1,888, with 6,092 others injured.
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