Report: Iran FM to visit Egypt in coming days

Arabi 21 website has said that the top Iranian diplomat’s upcoming visit is expected to strengthen relations between Iran and Egypt and comes at a sensitive time in the region.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper has expressed concern over the visit. The daily published a report that raised warnings over Iran and Egypt getting close to each other in the wake of the Gaza war.

According to the Israeli paper, Iranian and Egyptian officials as well as leaders of Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement have held intense negotiations in recent days over tensions escalating in the Red Sea.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Tehran-Cairo ties are expected to further strengthen due to tensions between Israel, Egypt and the US. Also, Tehran and Cairo have common interests amid the ongoing developments in the region, while Iran is a key regional player; issues that the Israeli daily believes would contribute to reasons behind the deepening of relations between Iran and Egypt.

Iran and Egypt severed diplomatic relations in 1980 partly because of the latter’s recognition of Israel a year earlier.

The two sides decided last year to resume their ties, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman saying on December 25 that talks had been promising.

Back in June 2023, Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei told the visiting Omani Sultan that Iran welcomed the resumption of ties with Egypt after Haitham bin Tariq conveyed Cairo’s willingness to restore relations with Tehran.