Egypt does not need mediation to restore ties with Iran: Top official
A high-ranking Egyptian official says the Northeast African country does not need mediation to fully restore diplomatic relations with Iran.
Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed el-Orabi, said in an interview with the Arab World Press (AWP) news agency that Cairo and Tehran are still in contact, but they do not necessarily have to be publicized.
“It is very simple, it should not become complicated; Tehran-Cairo relations will be fully restored eventually, but Egypt has its reservations,” Orabi said.
The announcement comes amid reports that the two regional heavyweights are engaged in bend-the-scenes negotiations and are about to reopen their respective embassies sometime in the future.
Orabi also said that diplomatic interactions between Egypt and Iran exist already and have not been severed.
Nevertheless, he said, “determining factors” which are “unique in essence” should be taken into account when it comes to the re-establishment of ties.
“Iran is an active country in the region, and rapprochement with it is linked to other issues like the status quo in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon,” the senior Egyptian official said.
He noted that it is difficult to determine a certain timeframe for the restoration of Egypt-Iran relations, emphasizing it is possible for a breakthrough in any of the above-mentioned issues to push matters forward.
In late June, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian hailed the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh, stating that the country is prepared for the normalization of relations with Egypt and Morocco as well.
Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that developing relations with the Islamic and regional nations is a top priority in Iran’s foreign policy agenda.
Egypt severed its diplomatic relations with Iran in 1980 after it welcomed the deposed Pahlavi ruler of Iran and also recognized the apartheid Israeli regime.
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