ID :
239174
Tue, 05/08/2012 - 09:23
Auther :

Iran-Egypt Share Many Commonalities: Salehi

Tehran, May 8, IRNA – Close cooperation between Iran and Egypt can boost causes of Islamic Ummah in the world, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said here Monday. Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with some Egyptian youth, studying Farsi language in Iran. “Iran-Egypt ties have roots in ancient time and the two nations had deep, cultural, economic, and political relations ever since long times ago; the relations between the two nations strengthened during the Islamic era; Tehran and Cairo distanced from each other during the past three decades but if they would cooperate and come closer, they would be able to help boost the Isamic Ummah's international role.” Salehi noted that Egyptian nation will determine its destiny through a democratic process after their great revolution last year. Egyptian students for their part welcomed the expansion of cultural and scientific relations with Iran. The Islamic Awakening is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Muslim world. Since 18 December 2010, there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt; a civil war in Libya resulting in the fall of its regime; civil uprisings in Bahrain and Yemen; major protests in occupied Palestine against the Zionist regime, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Oman, and minor protests in Kuwait, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Western Sahara. Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, Iranian officials have worked with Egypt’s interim government to restore diplomatic ties. Shortly after Mubarak stepped down from office, the Islamic Republic two of Iranian warships were allowed to pass through the Suez Canal, the first such passage by an Iranian naval vessel since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The high-level visit of Iranian officials to Cairo in August 2011 suggests that Iran and Egypt may be on a path to restore official ties. On April 17, 2011, Egyptian foreign ministry spokeswoman Menha Bakhour asserted, “We are prepared to take a different view of Iran. The former regime used to see Iran as an enemy, but we don’t.” On August 16, 2008, Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad defended Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program. On August 2, 2011, a delegation of Egyptian investors and businessmen met with officials from Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines in an effort to begin restoring bilateral trade relations between the two states. On December 3, 2007, Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines Ali-Akbar Mehrabian met in Cairo with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid./end

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