Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty held a phone call on Thursday with British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell to review Egypt's ongoing efforts to halt regional escalation. He stressed the urgent need to contain the military confrontation between Israel and Iran. Abdel-Aty highlighted the responsibility of the E3 group—comprising France, Germany and the United Kingdom—to open dialogue channels and explore all available avenues with Iran to find compromises that would contribute to de-escalation. Powell commended Egypt's role in calming tensions in the region and praised its constructive efforts on the Palestinian issue. Both sides agreed to continue their coordination and make use of all diplomatic channels to reduce tensions and prevent further deterioration. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama