Image @ Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
At the Egypt Energy Show 2026 conference in Cairo, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that the ongoing Iran conflict could have devastating global consequences, including severe disruptions to energy and food supplies.
He cautioned that targeting oil production facilities and refineries could trigger supply shortages and sharp price increases, adding that fears of oil prices surpassing $200 per barrel were realistic. He also highlighted the risk of a global food crisis, explaining that interruptions to fertilizer exports would drive up costs, with particularly harsh effects on middle-income and vulnerable economies.
During the same event, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, condemned Iran’s actions, including attacks on energy infrastructure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking virtually, he described these moves as violations of international law and a direct threat to global energy security. He stressed the need for the international community to safeguard key maritime routes, noting that the waterway had previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. GCC countries—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain—have also been subjected to drone and missile strikes.
Sisi used the platform to make a direct appeal to Donald Trump, urging him to intervene and end the war. “Nobody can stop the war in our region in the Gulf but you,” Sisi said, emphasizing that the U.S. president had the ability to bring the conflict to a halt. He repeated his plea, calling on Trump to use his influence to restore stability.
Egypt, a longstanding recipient of U.S. military assistance and financial backing from Gulf nations, has denounced Iranian attacks on Gulf Arab states while continuing to advocate for diplomatic solutions to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Reflecting on past regional developments, Sisi pointed to Trump’s role in ending the war in Gaza, noting that he had previously expressed confidence that only the U.S. leader could halt that conflict before a ceasefire was reached in Sharm el-Sheikh in November. He also referenced Egypt’s long-standing but cautious relationship with Israel, established after the 1979 peace treaty that returned the Sinai Peninsula, while acknowledging Cairo’s ongoing concerns about the potential displacement of Palestinians from Gaza into Egyptian territory.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah