CAIRO

Egypt welcomed on Monday US President Donald Trump's remarks about ongoing contacts to de-escalate tensions with Iran, calling for prioritizing dialogue to end the war.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Cairo continues its intensive contacts with relevant parties "to prevent reaching a point of no return, halt escalation in the region, and avoid sliding into widespread chaos."

“Egypt welcomes all efforts and initiatives that would reduce tensions and pave the way for de-escalation and ending the war,” the ministry said.

It called for “seizing this opportunity and building upon it to prioritize dialogue to halt the escalation and ultimately end the war."

Trump, on Monday, said he has ordered a five-day postponement of all strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing “very good and productive” talks with Tehran over the past two days.

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.