Foreign Ministry pursues enhancement of ties with different countries: Official

Kamal Kharrazi made the remark when asked by Tasnim news agency about speculations that Iran and Egypt are in talks to resume their relations.

“The Foreign Ministry is always prepared to hold talks with different countries to help enhance regional and extra-regional relations,” Kharrazi said.

“Naturally, if Iran’s conditions are accepted in these talks, and the more Iran’s relations are boosted with neighboring and regional countries, it is to everyone’s benefit.”

He said he had not been briefed about the details of the efforts to reestablish ties with Egypt but said as a general rule, the Foreign Ministry would pursue the boosting of ties with other countries.

Iran reestablished relations with Saudi Arabia in March after seven years of a hiatus. That rapprochement set off speculations that the other Arab countries that had severed relations with Iran would follow suit. Bahrain is reportedly in talks with Iran regarding its own ties with Tehran.

Kharrazi’s comment comes as an Iranian lawmaker, sitting on the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has said the embassies of Iran and Egypt will resume activities in both countries in the near future.

Fada-Hossein Maleki said talks are being mediated by Iraq between Iran and Egypt, and their bilateral ties will soon return back on track.