Egypt's Sisi says new sanctions on Iran are 'destabilising'

Egypt's president has commented on new US sanctions against Iran, dismissing them as "destabilising", pro-government local media has reported.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi made the comments in an address to a youth forum in the resort city of Sharm al-Sheikh on Tuesday.

When asked about the sanctions Sisi said: "Instability affects all of us. Any country where there is instability affects all of us."

But he then sent an indirect threat to Tehran, warning that if Gulf states are threatened he would mobilise the Egyptian military to "defend his brothers".

"Everyone must respect Arab national security, especially that of the Gulf," he added.

The comments come after Washington slapped what it describes as "the toughest sanctions ever" on Iran after US President Donald Trump's controversial decision in May to abandon the multi-nation nuclear deal with Tehran.

The measures aim to significantly reduce Iran's oil exports - which have already fallen by around one million barrels a day since May - and cut it off from international finance.

Egypt is a close ally of Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, which are bitter rivals with Iran.

Egypt and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since 1980, when Egypt offered Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi refuge following a revolution in Iran.