CAIRO: Egypt and Iran have held talks on the possibility of importing wheat, the trade ministry said on Sunday, in a sign of easing tensions between the two countries. Egypt is the only Arab state with which Iran does not have normal relations. The coming period will see the beginning of a new phase in economic relations between Egypt and Iran, Trade Minister Rachid Mohammed Rachid said. The comments came after talks in Cairo with visiting Iranian Industry and Mines Minister Aliakbar Mehrabian on Saturday. The two discussed the possibility of importing wheat from Iran, especially seeing as Iran has become a wheat exporting country, Rachid said, adding that Egypt had also invited Iran s deputy trade minister to visit Cairo and lay the framework for such wheat deals. In May, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran was ready to restore full diplomatic relations with Egypt and would open its embassy in Cairo the very day the Egyptian government agreed. Senior Egyptian and Iranian officials held talks in September over resuming full diplomatic ties. Iran and Egypt currently only have interests sections in each other s countries after Iran formally cut ties in 1980 following the Islamic revolution in protest at Cairo s recognition of Israel and hosting of the deposed shah.
