In remarks broadcast by Iranian state television, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Ali Khamenei said he welcomed the normalization of his country’s relations with Cairo. Egypt severed relations with Iran after the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, said on Monday that he “welcomes” the restoration of full diplomatic relations between Egypt and the Islamic Republic, raising the possibility of normalizing relations between Cairo and Tehran after decades of tension.
And the official Iranian TV quoted these statements from Khamenei, adding that they came during a meeting he held with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, who is currently visiting Tehran.
This is the first visit by the Sultan of Oman since he assumed power in 2020. The Sultanate has previously played the role of mediator between Tehran and Western countries.
There are increasing indications of the possibility of restoring relations between Egypt and Iran, especially since Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a breakthrough in March with Chinese mediation after years of tension.
Cairo relies on Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf Arab states to support it economically.
There was no immediate reaction from Egypt to Khamenei’s remarks.
It comes in light of reports of communication between Tehran and Cairo that may lead to raising diplomatic representation between them to the level of ambassadors. It also comes a week after Sultan Haitham’s visit to Egypt, where he met President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Egypt, under Anwar Sadat, severed relations with Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
The peace agreement between Egypt and Israel angered the Islamic Republic, which considers Israel its biggest regional enemy.
After the Arab Spring in 2011 and the election of President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, relations with Iran improved.
However, the military overthrew Morsi in 2013 and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assumed power, which immediately cooled relations between Tehran and Cairo.
