Cairo calls on Tehran to cooperate for the interests of all

In a new openness step towards Tehran, the chairman of the Egyptian interests office in Iran, Muhammad al-Refaee Fathi al-Tantawi, called for cooperation between Cairo and Tehran, saying this would be "useful for all Islamic nations."

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Iranian dailies the Egyptian official said: "Instead of saying that Iran and Egypt will get closer as much as Egypt gets far from Israel, stress should be made to strengthen cooperation between our two countries for the interests of all Muslim states in the world."

He added that the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty which was signed in 1979 does not obstruct the improvement of relations between Cairo and Tehran. He in this respect added, "Tehran maintains natural relations with Amman, despite the fact that Jordan has good relations with Israel," while relations between Egypt and the Hebrew state are but a sort of "cold peace."

The Egyptian diplomat, on the other hand, raised the question of giving the name of Khaled al-Islambuli, killer of the late Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat, on one street in Tehran as this matter is still among the main obstacles before improving relations between the two countries.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had ruled out at the beginning of July resuming diplomatic relations with Tehran unless it honors the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The two countries do not have full diplomatic relations but each has an office for "interests' care" in the other.