CAIRO: After 30 years of diplomatic tension between Egypt and Iran, experts are saying that both countries are seeing the need to mend ties, especially after an Egyptian delegation paid a visit to the predominantly Shia country earlier this month.
The visit, paid by a delegation of 50 Egyptians comprising intellectuals, activists and clerics, came as a surprise since it coincided with the expulsion of Iranian diplomat Qasim Hosseini from Egypt on suspicion of spying by the Egyptian authorities.
“Iranians believe Egypt is a strong country, not only to put Israel under pressure, but to benefit from the Egyptians themselves, that’s why Egypt must restore ties with this great civilization,” explained Mostafa Naggar, one of the members of the Egyptian delegation.
Calling it a "misunderstanding," Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi understandably downplayed Qasim’s issue, which according to analysts has been played up in the Arab media as yet another sign of Iran’s meddling in internal Arab affairs.
Unlike Naggar, some observers argued that Iranian efforts to mend their relations with Egypt are in a way meant to send a message to all Arab countries that the Iranian nuclear project won’t pose a threat.
Therefore, Iran is willing to overlook Egypt’s peace treaty with Israeli and other significant disparities in order to make this statement.
Egypt and Iran have been at odds for 30 years. The two countries severed their ties in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution in Iran and Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. Accordingly, Egypt is the only Arab country that does not host an Iranian Embassy.
The relations between the two countries further deteriorated during the raid on Gaza in early 2009, as Egypt accused Iran of trying to dominate the region, while Iran criticized Egypt for imposing the blockade on Gaza by refusing to open the Rafah border.
The Egyptian authorities in early 2009 arrested 50 alleged Lebanon-based Hezbollah agents who were suspected of planning attacks inside Egypt. Officials accused Iran, which supports Hezbollah, of attempting to destabilize the Mubarak regime.
Threatening other ties
Experts also say mending ties with Iran may threaten Egypt’s relations with other countries.
"Egypt is hearing, though, a lot of expressions of concern – from Saudi Arabia, from Israel, from the United States. And already, the Egyptian government has taken some steps to allay those concerns," wrote Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment Center.
“They are all afraid of an Iranian religious influence on Egypt, namely terrorism, but Egypt changed after the revolution, we must open communication channels with all,” said Mustafa Kamel, professor at the faculty of economics and political science at Cairo University.
“When we look into [Egypt’s] relations with Iran, we should try to take their best examples in science rather than fearing their ideological hostility entrenched by the 1979 Islamic Revolution,” said Kamel.
“The Arab countries are anxious that an Egyptian-Iranian talk would bring in Shias to Egypt, which I find offensive to our society, how will Iran succeed in converting all Egyptians to Shias?” said Naggar.
“Iran is a good potential market for trade with Egypt,” commented Naggar.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Nabil Al-Araby explained that his country’s thawing relations with Iran do not threaten other nations, including the United States.
“Egypt is at a very sensitive stage after the uprising, instead of cutting its ties with countries, Egypt must work on its relations with all countries of the world to help all,” stressed Kamel.
On his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said “There is no doubt that good ties between the [Egypt and Iran] would help restore stability, security and development to the entire region.”
“President Ahmedinejad told us [the delegation] that if Egypt, Iran and Turkey unite together, regional issues like Israel’s nuclear proliferation and the fate of Palestinians will be resolved,” said Naggar
Naggar believes that within Egypt there is a rising tone of caution and negativity, with some media pundits claiming that Egypt’s relations with Iran would cause Cairo its ties with other countries, specifically the West, Israel and the Gulf countries namely Saudi Arabia and UAE.
“We know those pens very well and who they work for,” said Naggar.
Post Jan. 25
After the January 25 Revolution, Egypt appeared to be taking steps to ease relations with Iran.
Potomac Institute analyst Tawfiq Hamid said in an interview for an American publication that the Egyptian side’s actions are meant to restore Egypt to a traditional leading mediation role, and reposition it away from its recent past.
"The Arabs and Palestinians considered Egypt, during Mubarak’s time, as pro-American, pro-Israel [and] anti-Palestinian. So, Egypt’s position as the leading country in the Arab world was weakened. What happened when the [post-Mubarak] new regime or new system came, they wanted to regain this leadership [role]," he said.
Kaveh L. Afrasiabi, author of the book “After Khomeini: New Directions in Iran’s Foreign Policy” wrote in an editorial, “The bottom line is that the normalization of relations with Tehran is a question of political identity for Cairo and its new ruling elite, that is, the coming to age and maturity of Egypt as an independent actor on the regional and global scene.”
Last April, a number of Iranian and Egyptian tourism companies signed a cooperation agreement in Tehran.
According to a study conducted in collaboration with the tourism ministry, the Iranian market could send up to 500,000 tourists to Egypt annually with a total average expenditure of LE 30 million per night, according to a report published in Al-Masry Al-Youm.
However, the ministry spokesmen told local media that the agreement is said to be pending security approval.
While Egypt was also taking some steps towards mending ties with Iran prior to the January 25 Revolution, relations were still unstable.
Last October, under the auspices of former Minister of Aviation Ahmed Shafiq, Egypt and Iran signed an agreement to resume flights between their capitals. However, shortly after, the US criticized the agreement.
"We continue to urge all countries, including Egypt, not to pursue any new business deals until Iran complies with its international obligations," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, said at the time.
Despite the aviation deal, former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit directly blamed Iran for the failure of the Hamas-Fatah negotiations sponsored by Egypt. Two weeks later, Iran responded by announcing that efforts to improve relations with Egypt are no longer on its foreign policy agenda.
In another gesture from Tehran, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa outlawing any encroachment on the companions and wives of Prophet Mohamed. He sent a copy to Ahmed El-Tayeb, the grand sheikh of Al-Azhar, who hailed it as a step towards bridging the gap between Muslims.
Even though the spy charge has been a minor setback according to all analysts and diplomats, with Egypt in a state of transition, the fate of its foreign policy is subject to questions. The future of the Egyptian-Iranian relations is bound to experience “challenges,” to quote Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi.
“As for the fear of Shias, I think this is a very ‘conditioned’ fear, leave the religion to God and worry about the country’s development,” concluded Kamal.
