CAIRO: As part of the Spring Festival in Cairo, El Genaina Theater at Al-Azhar Park hosted world-class Iranian musician Kayhan Kalhor. About 300 people turned up to enjoy the solo performance of Kalhor, who is considered a master of the Kamancheh, a Persian bowed stringed instrument related to the violin.
For the whole hour, he played eclectic classical pieces, combined with the rich folk modes and melodies of the Kurdish and Turkish traditions of Iran. The final part of his performance was blended with his own voice, an addition that was well received by the audience.
­It is fair to say that Kalhor enjoys the worldwide recognition for his musical achievements, at least among those people who still admire Eastern – and in particular – Persian classical music. However, in the context of his performance in Cairo, what attracted the most attention was his nationality rather than his art.
­­­As often happens in international relations, the cultural ties between countries are affected by the ideological disagreements between states. Unfortunately, Iran and Egypt have not been immune to the undermining of cross-cultural bridges due to the lack of political compromise.
Despite, the long history of civilizational links between Iran and Egypt, cultural exchanges between the two countries have been considerably weakened over the last three decades.
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 was a watershed for a new era for relations between the two states. From the first days of the Islamic Revolution, the Arab States followed the emergence of the Shia order with suspicion. Yet, there were specific factors that undermined the ties between the two nations. The recognition of the State of Israel and the hosting of the fugitive Shah angered the new radical government in Tehran. The Iranian regime responded by endorsing a member of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Khalid Islambouli, the assissan of late President Anwar Sadat, recognizing him as a “martyr. To make the situation even worse, they displayed his glorified portraits in the city as well as naming a street in Tehran in honor of his “martyrdom.
The political antagonism did not stop there, the Egyptian support for Saddam Hussein during the war with Iran significantly added to the sense of distrust between the two states.
The diplomatic failure between Iran and Egypt has had serious implications for the continuation of the other ties. The two states made it extremely difficult for cultural exchanges and interactions beyond the realm of politics. They systematically narrowed the connections by making it hard for people to travel between the two countries.
For example, since, the end of the diplomatic relations, it has been almost impossible for Iranian citizens to obtain visas for the purpose of tourism in Egypt. Even artists and scholars who could potentially bring about a more reciprocal understanding between the two nations have been denied permits to enter the country.
Iran has not been particularly helpful either. Although, the conference that they initiated last year was about reinforcing cultural ties, nothing tangible was achieved in terms of reinstating cultural and social links between the two ancient countries.
However, in recent years, there have been rumors about re-establishing political ties. Although the historic meeting of Mubarak and the former president Khatami in 2003 and the recent landmark telephone call between the two heads of states have not achieved any tangible political objectives, there are still hopes for a political salutation. But the reestablishment of Iranian and Egyptian ties depends upon many other factors that may delay the process.
The controversial Iranian nuclear project, the overwhelming pressure from the US for further isolation of the Islamic Republic, and the alleged Iranian interference in Arab states such as Iraq and Lebanon are among the many factors that could effect the possible diplomatic relation between the two states.
Tehran is particularly interested to accelerate the process. Re-establishing ties with Egypt could be seen as a significant political triumph for a government that is often criticized for its diplomatic failures. Reinstating the links with Egypt could open a new window to the region for a state that is under huge international pressure.
It is no secret that engaging with Iran could have some diplomatic benefits for Egypt, but this must not be at the expense of distancing itself from the United States. Egypt is one of the closest American allies in the region. Given the existing American foreign policy towards Iran, it is understandable that Cairo should be hesitant to get closer to Tehran at this stage.
It is possible to argue that the Egyptian decision to normalize the relation with Iran will be conditioned by the international climate. Thus, until the next American election and the possible change of American foreign policy towards Iran, we cannot expect a rapid transformation in Iranian-Egyptian relations.
Unfortunately, as long as no political salutation is achieved, the cross-cultural ties between the two countries will remain in the shadow of international politics. However delightful Persian music is to the Egyptian ears, it maybe sometime before Iran and Egypt interact harmoniously.
