CAIRO: The tap dance that is Egyptian-Iranian relations will apparently continue as a Foreign Ministry envoy heads to Iran to discuss bilateral relations.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters Monday, “This [visit] will happen over the next two days, adding that Deputy Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Hussein Dirar will be the one traveling to Iran.
Dirar will carry a letter for Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki “concerning bilateral relations, Aboul Gheit added, “The letter addressed to Manouchehr Mottaki is about Egyptian-Iranian dialogue.
“It is part of a process that has been going on for a while in an attempt to restore relations, Emad Gad from Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies told Daily News Egypt. “Egypt still feels that certain requests have not been met, such as the continued existence of Khaled Eslambouli Street (named after Anwar Sadat’s assassin), attacks on Egypt in Iranian conservative press and negative Iranian involvement in the Palestinian peace process.
Additionally, “Since the Iranian nuclear program is no longer deemed a security threat and since [Egypt] was included by the US in confronting the Iranian nuclear threat, this move is also a message to the US that we can now seek our own way, Gad said.
However, Gad had one caveat about the diplomatic efforts saying that restoration of relations will not happen with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power. He is “the wrong person, he can switch positions the next day, Gad added, “Therefore these efforts can occur during his presidency, but relations can only be restored if he is succeeded by a reformist.
There also seems to be an economic aspect to the talks between the Egyptians and the Iranians with Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid stating earlier this month after a meeting with Iranian Industry and Mines Minister Aliakbar Mehrabian in Cairo that “the coming period will see the beginning of a new phase in economic relations (between the two countries).
However economic ties don’t necessarily lead to restoration of diplomatic ties, according to Gad. “Economic ties are one thing and diplomatic ties are another; and certain conditions have to be met first for the restoration of diplomatic relations, he explained.
While Egypt is one of two Arab countries [alongside Jordan] that sports diplomatic relations with Israel, it is the only Arab country that does not have formal ties with Iran, with relations being severed in 1980.
Last June Egypt welcomed a statement by Ahmadinejad that Tehran was ready to restore full diplomatic ties with Cairo.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit described Ahmadinejad’s overture as positive; and told reporters he had received and replied to a letter from Mottaki. “I told Mr Mottaki that Egypt considers the statement by the Iranian president as positive, Aboul Gheit said at the time.
Ties have been severed between the two countries since the Islamic revolution in Iran and Egypt’s agreement to host the deposed Shah, as well as the peace treaty that Egypt signed with Israel.
Tehran has a road named after former President Anwar Sadat’s assassin Khaled Eslamboli, and although there has been a council decision to change the name of the street to Intifada Avenue, the road signs still bear the old name.
In any case, “this visit will not be followed by an announcement that relations will be restored soon, Gad said, because there is still a long way to go in this process.
