Cairo, Feb 7, IRNA – Expansion of relations between Tehran and Cairo is beneficial to countries, as well as Muslim world and regional states, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks in an interview with the Egyptian Al-Nil TV International.
“Iranian and Egyptian nations’ ties are historical and cultural; the two countries have good potentials for development of relations in all fields including the fields of science, industry and technology; Egyptian revolution changed the regional equations for the interest of all regional states; Iran supposes Cairo’s power, progress and dignity as its own.”
The Iranian president, who is in Egypt for an official visit, underlined the significance of close ties and cooperation between the two major Muslim countries.
Also on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad met with his Egyptian counterpart Mohammad Mursi and reiterated Tehran's preparedness to resume ties with Cairo.
The two presidents explored avenues for the further expansion of mutual cooperation between their countries.
President Ahmadinejad pointed to the ancient histories and civilizations of Iran and Egypt, and said that the two countries play crucial roles in regional politics.
'The relations of the two nations have always moved on a positive trend and we should now utilize all potentials to enhance the level of these relations,' he said.
Ahmadinejad noted that the Islamic Republic is ready to resume and broaden its relations with Egypt in all fields.
President Mursi, for his part, stressed Tehran and Cairo's key role and influence in the region and the world, and said, 'Today, cooperation between Iran and Egypt is necessary in all fields.'
The Iranian President arrived in Egypt on Tuesday to participate in a summit meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and attend talks with senior Egyptian officials on bilateral relations and cooperation.
Speaking to reporters at Tehran's Mehrabad international airport, Ahmadinejad said this is the first official visit to Egypt in at presidential level after 34 year and will definitely affect the 34-year long-ties and the relevant issues.
Last month, Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi paid a visit to Cairo and met with senior Egyptian officials, including President Mohammad Mursi.
During the meeting in Cairo earlier this month, Salehi and Mursi conferred on bilateral ties as well as the latest regional and international developments.
After the collapse of Hosni Mubarak's regime, the Iranian and Egyptian officials voiced their interest in the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
