Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, discussed efforts to contain rising tensions in the Middle East with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in a phone call on Wednesday, as fears grow over continued military escalation between Israel and Iran.

According to Egypt’s foreign ministry, Abdelatty stressed the need to prevent further destabilization and warned of the broader risks to regional security.

He reiterated Cairo’s position that diplomatic and political solutions remain the only viable path forward, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

China’s foreign ministry echoed the concern, with Wang reportedly describing the situation as nearing a tipping point.

“The [situation] may get out of control ... and the region could slide into an abyss,” he told Abdelatty, adding that Israel’s actions in recent days had “suddenly” intensified tensions.

Wang also expressed support for Egypt’s diplomatic efforts, including the recent Arab and Islamic joint statement calling for a ceasefire, which Cairo helped initiate.

The exchange comes amid heightened anxiety in the region following cross-border strikes and a series of retaliatory attacks, fuelling fears of a wider regional conflict.