Iran, Egypt move to restore diplomatic ties - Salehi
EGYPT: Iran and Egypt are moving towards restoring diplomatic
relations which were severed more than three decades ago, Iranian
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in an interview published on
Tuesday.
Salehi said in comments reported in Egypt's state-run Al-Ahram
newspaper that Tehran was keen on establishing relations of “friendship
and brotherhood” with Cairo.
“Egypt is the cornerstone of the region and has a special stature in
the Arab and Muslim countries... and we want relations of friendship and
brotherhood with it,” Salehi said, adding that Tehran hoped to restore
“normal” relations with Cairo.
“We will pursue this path and restoration of relations depends only
on protocol measures.”
Salehi said Egypt's “revolution opened a new chapter in Egypt's
relations with the outside world,” adding that the Islamic republic
welcomes Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi attending a Non-Aligned
Movement summit later this month in Tehran.
A source at the Egyptian presidency said Morsi will take part in the
August 30 summit at which the NAM presidency will be passed from Egypt
to Iran.
Tehran severed diplomatic ties with Cairo in 1980, after the Islamic
revolution in Iran, to protest against Egypt and Israel agreeing on
their 1979 peace treaty. AFP
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