CAIRO: Iran must establish relations with Egypt, said the chairman of Iran's Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi. He called establishing relations an “important opportunity” following the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak in February. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must seriously pursue the establishment of bilateral relations between Iran and Egypt,” said Boroujerdi, reported Mehr news agency on Friday. Boroujerdi said that the regime's State Security apparatus was the biggest obstacle toward the establishment of relations between Egypt and Iran. Fortunately, the collapse of the regime – and with it State Security – and domestic developments in Egypt have set the ground for relations between the two countries. He called for the need to support all revolutions in the region, calling them “Islamic uprisings,” and expressing his hope that bilateral relations between Tehran and Cairo would resume. Boroujerdi's remarks come as a response to an earlier statement by Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil el-Arabi regarding the establishment of relations with Iran. El-Arabi said Egypt does not view Iran as an “enemy state.” El-Arabi said last Tuesday during a press conference that Iran is Egypt's neighbor and that the government does not consider it an enemy. “Iran is a neighboring country and enjoys historical relations with Egypt across all eras,” he said. BM
