Leader: Iran welcomes Egypt’s willingness to restore ties
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Tehran welcomes Cairo’s willingness to restore relations with Iran, as there are signs of a growing thaw in the region following a recent rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the comments at a meeting with visiting Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, who conveyed Egypt’s willingness to resume relations with Iran.
“We welcome this position and have no problem in this regard,” the Leader said.
In recent years, Iran has repeatedly announced its readiness to mend ties with Egypt by settling differences.
Following a Chinese-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March to resume their ties after seven years, the chance of the restoration of relations between Tehran and Cairo has also increased.
On May 14, Iranian lawmaker Fadahossein Maleki said that negotiations were held in Iraq between Iranian and Egyptian delegates.
During the rule of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, Egypt played a pivotal role in brokering the Camp David Accords with Israel, which resulted in Egypt becoming the first Arab nation to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel. However, this move strained Egypt’s relations with Iran.
Tehran-Muscat cooperation
During the Monday meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei also said Iran and Oman would benefit from closer bilateral cooperation, lauding the Iranian government’s policy of improving ties with regional nations.
“Increasing Iran-Oman cooperation is significant because the two countries share the very important Strait of Hormuz waterway,” the Leader said.
Referring to negotiations between Iranians and Omanis, Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the talks should be followed up seriously until they yield tangible results.
The Leader also urged all regional countries to take into account the policy pursued by the Zionist regime and its supporters to sow discord and erode peace in the region.
Concerning the Omani sultan’s satisfaction with the resumption of Iran-Saudi Arabia ties, the Leader said, “These issues are the outcome of the (President Ebrahim) Raeisi administration’s good policy to develop and strengthen relations with neighbors and regional states.”
Sultan Haitham, for his part, emphasized that Muscat’s policy is to expand relations with its neighbors, especially the Islamic Republic.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, the Sultan of Oman arrived in Tehran on Sunday upon an invitation by President Raeisi.
Joint statement
In a joint statement released on Monday, President Raeisi and Sultan Haitham said they discussed ways to reinforce bilateral ties, especially in the areas of trade, energy, investment, and culture.
The two sides also expressed their satisfaction with the continuous increase in trade exchanges and joint investments, emphasizing the constructive role played by the private sector in bolstering economic cooperation.
On Sunday, the two sides signed four cooperation documents in the fields of economy, investment, energy and free zones.