Egypt and Iran discuss resuming diplomatic relations after 30 years

May 25, 2011, 13:38 GMT

Cairo - Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil el-Araby said he has discussed the possibility of an exchange of ambassadors with his Iranian counterpart, media reported Wednesday.

'We told the Iranian minister that Egypt is opening new chapters with everyone and that it doesn't want any aggressions with anyone in the world,' el-Araby said, according to state-run news website Egynews.

The discussion between el-Araby and Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi took place during a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Bali, Indonesia.

El-Araby, who will soon leave his post in order to assume the role of Secretary General of the Arab League, said an exchange of ambassadors was discussed, but that 'this is not the right time' for it to take place, given Egypt's transitional phase.

Diplomatic relations between Iran and Egypt have been severed since Egypt provided refuge to the exiled Iranian leader Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, following his ouster by the Iranian revolution in 1979.

The two countries have frequently exchanged sharp criticisms, with Egypt accusing Iran of interfering in the affairs of Arab countries and Iran accusing Egypt of supporting Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

El-Araby was appointed foreign minister following the ouster of Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak.

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