Eimer McAuley Reports from Cairo

THE MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs today said that there would be no reason for the Iranian regime to enforce a communications blackout in the country amidst nights of protests if it had “nothing to hide”. 

Helen McEntee is touring Cairo and Rafah in Egypt, as well as Amman in Jordan this week in a tour of the Middle East as tensions intensify across the region that marks her first major trip abroad in the role. 

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands detained in Iran as crowds have risen up against Supreme Leader Ayatollah’s rule, which has led to US President Donald Trump threatening military intervention. 

Meanwhile Trump is expected to roll out plans for a ‘Board of Peace’ for Palestine.

It’s one of the elements intended to mark the start of phase two of the peace process in Gaza, despite the fact that Israel is still carrying out strikes on the region and still occupies half of the territory, access to aid is still a massive issue and conditions are dire, and Hamas is not close to giving up its weapons. 

Today in Cairo she held an extensive bilateral meeting with the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr, Badr Abdelatty, wherein they discussed the need for aid flow into Gaza, trade between their two countries, and the worrying situation in Iran, which McEntee said is “deeply concerning”. 

“I call on the Iranian authorities to refrain from any further violence and to uphold the fundamental rights of all Iranians. There should be no situation or scenario where a Government has a full communications blackout,” McEntee told the press today. 

However, when asked about Trump’s suggestion that the US may put boots on the ground in Iran if protesters are attacked, McEntee urged caution, saying that it’s important that we don’t “escalate anything in the region”. 

“It’s important that any decisions that are taken by any state here that they do not cause further tensions and escalations within the region,” she said. 

For his part Abdelatty stressed that Egypt and Ireland share a mutual respect for international law and dialogue “while fully rejecting any military solution to any regional or international crisis in the whole world.” 

Joint vision on Gaza 

The ministers discussed Gaza, Iran, and Sudan amongst other pressing international matters in a bilateral meeting in Cairo today. Phil Behan / DFAT Phil Behan / DFAT / DFAT

Abdelatty also praised Ireland’s stance on the “Palestinian’s State’s cause”. 

“In addition to Ireland’s support of Palestinian’s rights, and the right to self-determination and an independent state, today I have had successful consultations and discussions with the minister on state co-operation,” he said. 

Abdelatty said that medical evacuees from Gaza who enter Egypt for treatment have to be able to return to their homes when they are able to. 

He added that in light of tough weather conditions in Gaza at present, more caravans and aid need to be able to enter so that the international community can provide “the bare minimum of decent shelter for our Palestinian brothers”.  

Egypt is considered a crucial partner for the EU when it comes to navigating unrest in the Middle East.

Though the country’s sway over the US has long been seen as waning compared to the increasing influence of the Gulf states, Egypt has played a key role in facilitating Trump’s plans for peace in Gaza, and now in pushing for their implementation. 

This week Trump is expected to unveil the configuration of the peace board for Palestine, which will function as a council of countries and banks that will oversee decisions relating to the rebuilding and administration of Gaza. 

Today Abdelatty said that neighbouring Egypt has not been given further details about who will be on that council, and that they are “waiting” for more information. 

He said that this council will follow up on and observe the money “that’s pumped in for the reconstruction and early recovery” of Gaza, and that Egypt hopes that it will truly supervise this process. 

“We are open to co-operation, but we are looking forward to knowing more details regarding the formation and mandate of this council,” he said. 

Elsewhere, he once again condemned Tel Aviv’s decision to formally recognise the region in Somalia known as Somaliland, and called is a “flagrant, illegal and illegitimate” move that flies in the face of international law. 

“We similarly refuse any separation of parallel entities in Sudan, Yemen, Libya or Syria. It’s a matter of principle, we need to support the national state and its national institutions,” he said.

Yesterday he said that Egypt believes that Israel is advancing plans to potentially forcibly displace Palestinians to the troubled and conflict ridden region; an accusation which Israel swiftly denied. 

McEntee told Abdelatty that Egypt is an “indispensable partner” to Europe in the Middle East, and thanked him for the leadership that his country has shown amidst conflict. 

Tomorrow McEntee is due to travel to the Egyptian side of Rafah where she will meet with aid workers to assess the ongoing issues with aid entering into Gaza.