Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said in Muscat on Tuesday, handing over a message from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi concerning regional developments and cooperation, state-run MENA news agency reported. Shoukry was received by his Omani counterpart Youssef Bin Alawi in Muscat airport, where the two officials discussed matters including the ongoing situation in Lebanon, prior to Shoukry meeting with the sultan. A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Shoukry's visit is part of his regional diplomatic tour aimed at "an intensification of consultations and coordination between Egypt and its brothers in the region, especially in light of ongoing political developments in Lebanon and wider challenges in the region." Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri during a meeting in Cairo last Sunday that Egypt rejects attempts at foreign interference in Lebanon's domestic affairs. Oman is the fifth stop on the Egyptian foreign minister's tour, which started on Saturday and has so far included Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. Shoukry is set to conclude his trip with a visit to Saudi Arabia, which has called for an Arab League extraordinary meeting to be held next Sunday amid flaring tension with Iran. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of "direct aggression" after Yemeni rebels fired a missile earlier this month at its capital Riyadh. The Saudi government said the launch could be regarded an act of war. Saudi officials also accused Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah of "declaring war." In light of the attack, Egypt's Sisi reiterated his support for Saudi Arabia, one of Egypt's closest allies, saying that "the security of the Gulf is a red line." The Egyptian president stressed that he does not support war in a region, which “faces enough turmoil.”
