War on Iran: Why Egypt cannot afford to take sides

War on Iran: Why Egypt cannot afford to take sides Submitted by Saif Alislam Eid on Thu, 04/16/2026 - 20:16 By pivoting towards a mediating role, Cairo can present itself as a sincere ally of GCC states, without directly entering a conflict it can ill afford Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is pictured in Sharm el-Sheikh on 13 October 2025 (Saul Loeb/AFP) On Since the outbreak of regional war in February, through to the initial collapse of Pakistan -led negotiations between the US and Iran this month, Egypt has behaved differently than Gulf states might have expected. While the Egyptian foreign ministry swiftly condemned Iranian attacks against Gulf states and Jordan on the first day of the war, signalling an official alignment with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), this was followed by a diplomatic pivot towards neutrality - one synchronised with Turkey and Pakistan. While some analysts viewed this as a progressive step in Egyptian foreign policy, others labelled it a dramatic and adventurous shift.