TEHRAN – An Iranian lawmaker confirmed press reports that Iran and Egypt are holding talks in Baghdad, saying the two countries will soon resume diplomatic relations. 

“It is very important to restore relations between Iran and Egypt, because Egypt is one of the oldest and most civilized countries in the region and the world,” he said in an interview with Tasnim. “Therefore, the position of Egypt is very high and important compared to other countries. Even in the past, the Egyptian nation looked at the Iranian nation with respect, and the Iranian nation has also looked at the Egyptian nation in the same way.”

He added, “In this regard, negotiations between Iran and Egypt are ongoing in Iraq, and relations between Iran and Egypt will be restored in the near future. And we will witness the opening of embassies in both countries, and after this action, a meeting will be arranged between Mr. Raisi, the President of Iran, and Mr. El-Sisi, the President of Egypt.”

“We hope to see new opening with Egypt”

In a report posted on the IRNA website on Sunday, Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian said Iran hopes to see an “opening and adoption of new and reciprocal steps” in relations with Egypt. 
“I hope that in line with the views of Ayatollah Raisi’s government in expanding ties with regional counties to see an opening and new and reciprocal steps with the friendly and brotherly country of Egypt that Iran attaches special importance to it in its foreign policy,” Amir Abdollahian told IRNA.  

Noting that the Islamic Republic has always welcomed ties with Egypt, the minister said now the heads of the interest sections of the two countries in Tehran ad Cairo hold fruitful meetings and now there is “good access” to the officials of the two countries.

Earlier, press reports indicated that Iraq has been mediating between Iran and Egypt in recent weeks. Officials from Iran and Egypt held last month a meeting in Baghdad to improve Tehran-Cairo relations à la the thaw that took place in Iran-Saudi relations, a Qatari newspaper reported.

The newspaper, Al Araby Al Jadeed, quoted Iraqi officials as saying that the meeting took place under the auspices of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad al-Sudani and aims to repeat the mediation that Iraq undertook between Tehran and Riyadh. 

The sources explained that the two sides were keen not to announce it officially, while Egyptian diplomatic sources had told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that contacts took place during the last week of March between security officials from Egypt and Iran, which dealt with the possibility of gradual development of bilateral relations between the two countries in the coming period. 

According to the two Iraqi officials, the meeting took place at a low level of representation from both sides in the middle of last month, with the arrangement and presence of the Iraqi side. They also said that Baghdad is working to host another meeting between the two sides. 

One of the officials, who is at the Foreign Ministry of Iraq, said there was “a [positive] response from both sides, the Iranian and the Egyptian, to the Iraqi mediation, which aims to move the stalemate in relations, but it is too early to talk about progress in the mediation.”

The second Iraqi official who is at the Iraqi National Security Advisory said, “The goal is to restore normal relations between the two sides, especially with the developments of the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation, and the atmosphere is positive.”

Regarding the position of the representatives of the Egyptian and Iranian side, he said that they are “security and diplomatic,” stressing that the first meeting did not discuss many details, and the second meeting is expected to be more important and in-depth.

This information was confirmed by the rapporteur of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Iraqi parliament, Amer Al-Fayez. He said, “Iraq has already begun mediation to bridge points of view, and break the reluctance of Egypt and Iran to reach a good relationship.”