Cairo hosts high-stakes meeting on Iran's nuclear program
Shafaq News/ Egyptian and Iranian high-level officials, along with the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), convened in Cairo on Monday for a three-way meeting focused on Iran's nuclear program and regional security challenges.
The talks brought together Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi. On X, Grossi praised Egypt’s role in promoting peaceful, diplomatic solutions to regional challenges, as well as its support for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.
Timely meeting in Cairo with Egypt’s @MfaEgypt Badr Abdelatty and Iran’s Foreign Minister @araghchi.Grateful for Egypt’s constructive role in supporting peaceful, diplomatic solutions to regional challenges. pic.twitter.com/48ImXtJInj
— Rafael Mariano Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi) June 2, 2025
The meeting came against the backdrop of a series of high-level discussions between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Araghchi earlier in the day. El-Sisi underscored Egypt's unwavering commitment to dialogue and conflict de-escalation in the Middle East, particularly emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and secure maritime navigation in the Red Sea. El-Sisi also welcomed Araghchi's updates on the ongoing US-Iran nuclear negotiations, voicing hope for a peaceful settlement to safeguard regional stability.
For his part, Araghchi conveyed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s greetings to El-Sisi and lauded Egypt’s pivotal efforts in fostering calm across the region.
In a joint press conference with Abdelatty, Araghchi affirmed Tehran’s readiness to strengthen bilateral ties, expand trade and tourism, and boost political consultations in the coming period. He also reiterated that Iran’s nuclear program remains strictly peaceful and transparent, dismissing any allegations to the contrary as politically motivated.
The Cairo summit unfolded just days after the IAEA released a confidential report expressing deep concern over Iran’s growing stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, a technical step away from weapons-grade material. Grossi told reporters in Cairo that the agency aims to “incentivize a diplomatic solution” while acknowledging that Iran’s uranium enrichment raises significant alarm for the IAEA’s board of governors. Araghchi countered these claims, stressing Iran’s “continuous cooperation” with the agency.
