Iran’s Raisi, Egypt’s al-Sisi discuss Israel-Hamas war, bilateral relations

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has affirmed Iran’s belief that Israel is a threat to peace in the Middle East, Iranian state media quoted President Ebrahim Raisi as saying during his first phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday.

The war in Gaza has “proven” Iran’s “theory” that Israel is “a cancerous tumor and a serious threat to security, peace and tranquility in the region,” Raisi told al-Sisi, state news agency IRNA reported.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, which governs Gaza, in retaliation for its October 7 attacks. Israeli officials say the attacks killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 240 people were taken hostage.

Israel’s air and ground campaign has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, according to health authorities in the Palestinian territory.

Iran, a key source of financial and military support for Hamas, praised the October 7 attacks while denying any involvement in its planning or execution.

Tehran refuses to recognize Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a fundamental component of its foreign policy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Raisi also congratulated al-Sisi on his recent reelection and expressed Iran’s interest in expanding relations with Egypt across various fields, according to IRNA.

Ties between Tehran and Cairo deteriorated following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

In November, Raisi and al-Sisi met for the first time on the sidelines of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Riyadh.