Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Iran ready for full diplomatic ties with Egypt
Published in Daily News Egypt on 18 - 05 - 2007

CAIRO: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has indicated that Iran is willing to restore full diplomatic relations with Egypt the "very day Cairo agrees, in comments made on Tuesday.
Quoted by the Iranian Isna news agency the president told reporters that Iran would re-open its embassy in Cairo if Egypt is willing to restore relations that have been fraught for over two decades.
"We are ready to establish diplomatic ties with Egypt. If the Egyptian government signals its willingness, we will open our embassy that very same day, the Iranian leader said.
But experts have been sceptical about statements released from Iran.
Previously, international relations expert at Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Emad Gad was uncertain about the positive future of Egyptian Iranian relations because President Ahmadinejad was the kind of person to make one statement one day, and a contradictory one the next.
"[President Ahmadinejad] is conservative, dogmatic and narrow-minded. He can reverse things with a statement. He might revert on anything that happens, Gad said.
Another news agency, Fars, quoted Ahmadinejad as saying, "The Egyptian and Iranian people are friends and our announcement about opening an embassy in Cairo shows the depth of Iran s goodwill.
Despite a history of tense relations dating back to the Islamic revolution of 1979, Egypt and Iran are also clashing on current issues, mainly Iraq and the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions.
Egypt is allied with other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan that fear for the Sunnis in Iraq from the Iranian-backed Shia government.
In January, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned Iran about its nuclear program and the repercussions that might entail for the region.
"No one in the region has weapons of mass destruction but [Israel], and now Iran has started, he said in an interview with Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot as reported by Al Ahram newspaper.
"Maybe when Iran starts you might some day be friends and work against us. I must see about defending my country and others will think the same, Mubarak added.
Historically, ties between Egypt and Iran have been strained since the 1979 revolution and late President Anwar Al-Sadat's decision to give refuge to the overthrown Shah of Iran in Egypt. Ties between the two countries officially broke off in 1980 to protest the 1978 Camp David Peace Accords between Egypt and Israel.
The then new Iranian regime was so incensed by both these incidents that they named a street in Tehran after Khaled Eslamboli, the Egyptian army officer who assassinated Al-Sadat in 1981.
In January 2004, the Tehran City Council agreed to rename Khaled Eslamboli Street and diplomatic ties were restored with Egypt. The street is now called Intifada Avenue.


Clic here to read the story from its source.