Iran, Egypt strengthening ties?

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 14 – Iran claimed on Tuesday that with the ouster of Egypt’s ruler Hosni Mubarak earlier this year, Cairo was forging closer ties with Tehran and that a future Egypt would sever ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel.

Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Jun. 14 – Iran claimed on Tuesday that with the ouster of Egypt’s ruler Hosni Mubarak earlier this year, Cairo was forging closer ties with Tehran and that a future Egypt would sever ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast stated in Tehran on Tuesday that Iran and Egypt would not allow “minor differences” to stand in the way of closer ties in the post-Mubarak era.

The official news agency IRNA also reported that during his weekly press briefing Mehmanparast said the recent exchange of delegations between the two countries was further proof of their desire to create stronger bilateral relations.

Separately Iranian state media quoted a senior Egyptian opposition official as demanding that Cairo sever ties with Tel-Aviv.

The state-run news agency Fars quoted Abdul Moneim Abu el-Fatouh, a Member of Ikhwan al-Muslimun (Muslim Brotherhood) Party’s Shura Council, as saying that the people of Egypt want to cut ties with Israel.

“After January 15 Revolution (in Egypt) all sides realised that the 85-million-strong nation of Egypt does not want to have any ties with Israel unless Israel agrees with comprehensive peace and security in the region”, Abu el-Fatouh was quoted as saying. “And that is not just the view of Islamists”.