Egypt’s foreign minister says relations between Cairo and the United States are in “turmoil” following Washington’s decision to suspend delivery of tanks, helicopters and fighter jets to his country.

The U.S. suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Egyptian military after the July 3 military coup that ousted Mohammed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, and led to the deaths of hundreds in police crackdowns.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy told state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper on Wednesday that there is “unrest in relations” between the two countries, warning that the strain could affect the whole Middle East region.

However, Fahmy said he was “not worried about this turmoil in relations,” because it’s also a chance for the two to “better evaluate their relationship in the future.”

(AP)