Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi confirmed on Sunday, 1 June that Cairo is actively working to facilitate a comprehensive agreement between the United States and Iran, as diplomatic activity over the Middle East's nuclear standoff intensifies. Sisi disclosed the effort during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, signalling that two of the region's most consequential diplomatic players are coordinating on the issue.

Egypt's Role in the Talks

Sisi told Macron that Egypt was engaged in 'intensive contacts with various parties concerned' to help bring about a broad-based agreement between Washington and Tehran. He underscored that Cairo's engagement was anchored in the principles of international law and respect for state sovereignty — a framing that positions Egypt as a neutral facilitator rather than a partisan actor.

This is not Egypt's first foray into Middle East mediation; Cairo has historically played a bridging role in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and intra-Palestinian reconciliation efforts. Its involvement in the US-Iran track marks a notable expansion of that diplomatic footprint.

Macron Flags Strait of Hormuz Concerns

For his part, Macron outlined France's efforts to secure sustainable peace and prevent the Middle East from descending into further instability. He specifically stressed the necessity of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and lifting any restrictions on passage through it — a pointed reference to the chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply transits. Any disruption there would send immediate shockwaves through global energy markets.

Trump: 'Close to a Very Good Deal' — but Military Option Remains

The diplomatic manoeuvring comes as US President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview at the White House that Washington is close to a nuclear agreement with Tehran, while warning that military action remains on the table if talks collapse. 'We're close to a very good deal, and if we can make it good, otherwise we just start up with the Department of War, as we call it,' Trump said.

Trump said Iran had agreed to language explicitly barring it from developing or acquiring a nuclear weapon. 'The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons,' he said. 'They've agreed to that.'

Notably, Trump revealed that the scope of negotiations had broadened after he raised concerns about Iran potentially obtaining a weapon from a third party. The agreed language, he said, now reads: 'We will not develop or in any way purchase a military weapon' — a significant expansion of the original formulation, which covered only domestic development.

Difficult but Progressing

Trump described the negotiations as arduous but directionally positive. 'Very tough negotiators. It takes a long time,' he said. 'Slowly but surely, we're getting, I think, what we want.' He reiterated that a negotiated settlement remained his preference, while making clear that Washington would act unilaterally if its core demands were not satisfied.

With Egypt and France both engaged behind the scenes and Trump signalling proximity to a deal, the coming weeks will test whether this latest diplomatic push can convert cautious progress into a binding framework.