Iran eager to promote diplomatic relations with Egypt

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian underlined Tehran's enthusiasm for the promotion of bilateral ties with Cairo at the earliest."Given the two sides' willingness, it is natural that the level of diplomatic relations will be promoted as soon as possible," Amir Abdollahian told FNA on Tuesday. Meantime, he underlined that the bilateral ties between Tehran and Cairo are now at good levels and have been enhanced after the collapse of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak's regime. Amir Abdollahian referred to the activities of Iran's interest section in Egypt, and said that the head of the Iranian mission in Cairo is working in the capacity of an ambassador and "there are extensive diplomatic contacts with all parties and sides in Egypt". 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 Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi officially invited his then Egyptian counterpart 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 August. 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. A large number of Egyptian and regional politicians and figures have stressed that good relations between the two Muslim countries will benefit whole Islamic world. Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, in an interview late October stressed the necessity for the establishment of good relations between Tehran and Cairo, and said such ties are to the benefit of the whole Muslim world. "The resumption of these relations and their return to their normal track is undoubtedly beneficial to the Islamic world and Muslims," Gomma told FNA on Saturday.