TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to visit Cairo this week to participate in the summit of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, one Iranian official told Middle East Eye on Saturday.

The summit aims to foster collaboration among member states on key economic and diplomatic issues while addressing pressing regional and global challenges.  

According to the sources, President Pezeshkian is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with high-ranking officials from participating nations on the sidelines of the event. These discussions will likely focus on strengthening mutual ties and exploring avenues for greater economic and political cooperation.  

On Thursday, the media reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Egypt to attend the D-8 summit. Reports predict that a meeting between presidents of Iran and Turkey is probable with developments in Syria high on their agenda.

Armed factions led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels launched a surprise attack against Syria’s northwestern Aleppo Province on November 27. The militants quickly advanced towards Damascus in the face of the Syrian army’s refusal to resist.

The D-8, formally established in 1997, brings together eight prominent Islamic developing countries: Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, and Nigeria. This organization represents a collective population of 1.2 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $4.8 trillion, accounting for 4.5% of the world’s GDP.  

The D-8 has been recognized for its potential to play a pivotal role in shaping regional and global developments. By actively engaging in diplomatic and economic initiatives, the organization can act as a catalyst for other regional and international entities, such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This capacity is particularly significant in addressing critical issues like the Gaza crisis and fostering unity among Islamic nations.  

On December 2, Secretary-General of the D-8 Isiaka Abdulqadir travelled to Mashhad, northeastern Iran, to attend the 28th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member countries.