News in Brief
Tehran, Cairo progressing toward détente
An Egyptian diplomat revealed that, recently, a round of talks took place between Egypt and Iran, during which the two sides agreed to hold a series of exploratory meetings regarding issues that concern their decision-makers.
The diplomat, who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on condition of anonymity, explained that a joint committee has been formed to restore relations, stating that Egypt is “moving ahead with caution, given Iran’s international ties and regional role”.
The same diplomat pointed out that the Egyptian and Iranian sides “definitely made, during various talks that took place under Iraqi and Omani mediation, great strides toward bringing their views closer together”.
Persian Gulf trio islands Iran's ‘forever’
TASNIM – The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry refuted the contents of a joint statement from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and Russia about Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb, describing the islands as an eternal part of Iran’s territory.
In their statement on Monday, the ministers said the issue should be settled through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter.
US intel: Iran not developing nukes
AP – A US intelligence assessment says Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons at the moment but has ramped up nuclear activities.
The assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released Monday corresponds with previous US assessments about Iran’s nuclear program, although many in Congress and elsewhere have been skeptical of those.