Iranian FM: Tehran, Cairo Take Important Steps to Resume Ties
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi warned about enemies’ attempts to prevent the resumption of relations between Tehran and Cairo, and said the Iranian and Egyptian officials have taken important steps to normalize the two countries’ ties.
The US and Israel seek to obstruct the normalization of ties between Iran and Egypt to save their own interests, Salehi said in a meeting with an Egyptian delegation in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday.
Enemies of the two nations and the US and Israel on top of them will sustain losses if Muslim countries, including Iran and Egypt, foster unity so they do their best to poison the relations between Tehran and Cairo, he further explained.
Salehi pointed out that the interests of the two countries demand that Iran and Egypt move to strengthen unity among Muslim countries and prevent a division among them.
He went on to say that the two countries have fortunately taken important steps toward the normalization of diplomatic ties following the Egyptian revolution.
The Iranian top official said that the Egyptian revolution marked a turning point in international developments and opened a new chapter in regional developments.
Salehi stated that the Islamic Republic considers the recent developments in the region a good omen and added that the developments will finally come to the benefit of regional countries.
This is the second time that a delegation visits Iran following the recent Egyptian revolution.
The first delegation comprised of social, cultural, religious and revolutionary figures visited Iran late May and early June.
After the collapse of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, the Iranian and Egyptian officials voiced their interest in the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries and Salehi officially invited the then Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Al-Arabi to pay a visit to Tehran.
The Iranian foreign minister and his former Egyptian counterpart also held a meeting in Bali, Indonesia in Spring.
During the meeting which took place on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the two diplomats conferred on ways to promote the bilateral relations between Tehran and Cairo, and stressed the need for continued consultations in this regard.
Al-Arabi had earlier announced that Cairo would soon open a new page with Iran.
Al-Arabi who was replaced with Mohamed El-Orabi became the next Arab League Secretary to replace Amr Mussa.
