Iranian, Egyptian Diplomats Confer on Bilateral Ties, Regional Issues

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Senior Iranian and Egyptian foreign ministry officials in a meeting on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit here in Tehran discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views on the latest regional developments.

During the meeting, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian and Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs and International Cooperation Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy stressed the necessity for stronger cooperation between the two Muslim states at regional and international levels.

The Egyptian diplomat stressed Iran's important role in the region, and stressed that cooperation between the two countries can establish peace and stability in the region.

President Mursi arrived in Tehran on Thursday morning to attend the NAM summit and discuss regional and international issues with Iranian officials.

He officially handed the presidency of the movement to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the inaugural ceremony of the 16th NAM Summit in Tehran on Thursday morning.

Mursi's visit was the first by an Egyptian head of state to Tehran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Many Egyptian and Iranian officials believe that Mursi's upcoming visit to Tehran indicates Cairo's independence from the US and Israeli policies.

"Mursi's presence in Tehran conveys this message to the US and Israel that the era of Egypt's political obedience to Washington and Tel Aviv has ended," said member of the Egyptian parliament Sabri Amer on Sunday.

"During Hosni Mubarak's leadership all the decisions and policies in both areas of domestic and foreign policy were made through coordination with the US and the Zionist regime, but the conditions have now changed in Egypt and the era of the ruling of the Egyptian regimes which were allies and loyal to the West has ended," he added. 

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