The Tide is Changing: 'Egypt Keen on Improving Ties with Iran'

Thursday 7 October 2010

The Tide is Changing: 'Egypt Keen on Improving Ties with Iran'

'Egypt Keen on Improving Ties with Iran'

07/10/2010 Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit described Iran as an influential power in the Muslim world, saying Cairo seeks improved relations with Tehran.

"Turkey and Iran both are influential powers in the Arab world, and since Egypt is the center of Arab World's activities, it strives to keep the best of relations with these two countries," Aboul Gheit said on Thursday.

Some Egyptians have escaped to Iran and we ask the Iranian government to return these people to Egypt or expel them from Iran to improve understanding between Tehran and Cairo, Aboul Gheit was quoted by Fars news agency as saying.

Egypt and Iran have agreed to resume direct flights between their capitals for the first time after three decades. The agreement provides for 28 flights between Cairo and Tehran per week, but does not specify when the flights will begin.

Tehran and Cairo broke off diplomatic relations in the wake of Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 after then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat granted refuge to the deposed Shah of Iran, Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi.

Iran-Egypt reproachment begins

Posted on October 5, 2010 by rehmat1|

After 30-year pro-USrael stand – Egypt is making moves towards economic rapprochement and cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

On October 5, 2010, an Iranian delegation was received by the Minister of Aviation Ahmad Shafique who will discuss possibilities of cooperation between private aviation companies in both countries.
The two countries are exchanging delegations to discuss means to take business and economic ties forward. An Iranian delegation headed by the vice Iranian president and head of the tourism association Hamid Baghaei arrived in Egypt yesterday to talk cooperation.

The close Islamic bonds between people of Iran and Egypt go back for centuries. The Fatimid Shia Dynasty ruled Egypt from 969-1171 CE. They built the Cairo city and the famous Al-Azhar University.
In the early stages of the Islamic Revolution, Dr. Ali Shari’ati translated several of Sayyid Qutb’as writings from Arabic to Persian and were used as enlightening Islamic resistance spirit among the young Iranian revolutionaries. This earned Dr. Ali Shariati the nickname “Shia Sayyid Qutb”.

Dr. Zahra Rahnavard (wife of the defeated Iranian Presidential candidate Mir Mousavi) in 1987 interview she gave to famous Egyptian journalist Safynaz Kazem – had asked: “Do you have the likes of Sayid Qutb still around?”

King Reza Shah Pahlavi (1919-1980) married Egyptian princess Fawzia Fuad (born 1921) in 1941- making her the first Queen of Persia. They were divorced in 1948.

During the 1980s, Egypt lead anti-Islamic Revolution in the Arab world. Egypt also supported Saddam Hussein during his 8-year war against the Islamic Republic. When Anwar Sadat (1918-1981) was assassinated by Khlaid al-Istambuli for recognizing the illegal Zionist state – Tehran honored Khlaid al-Istambuli by naming a Tehran street after him.