Iran skips Gaza summit over tensions with US

• Iran will not attend the Gaza summit in Egypt.
• President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi are skipping the meeting.
• Araghchi cited tensions with the United States.

Iran announced on Monday that neither President Masoud Pezeshkian nor Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will attend the Gaza summit in Egypt, despite having received an official invitation from the host country.

State news agency IRNA reported that Egypt extended the invitation on Sunday evening for the meeting scheduled on Monday at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

However, Araghchi posted on X early Monday, stating, “Neither President Pezeshkian nor I can engage with counterparts who have attacked the Iranian People and continue to threaten and sanction us,” referring to the United States. Washington had briefly joined 'Israeli' strikes against Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day conflict in June.

Despite skipping the summit, Araghchi emphasized that Tehran supports efforts “to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza” and uphold Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

Iran, which does not recognize 'Israel', has long made support for the Palestinian cause a central tenet of its foreign policy, a stance maintained since the 1979 Revolution that overthrew the US-backed Shah.

The Gaza summit, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, aims to solidify the recent ceasefire and establish a political framework for the post-war period. Leaders from more than 20 nations are expected to attend, though neither 'Israel' nor Hamas will participate.