Mojtaba Ferdosipoor, head of the Interests Section of Iran in Egypt, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that relations between Iran and Egypt have entered an advanced and expanding stage and that the decision to exchange ambassadors between the two countries has been definitively taken.
He emphasized the deep historical and civilizational roots of relations between Tehran and Cairo, stating that the ties and shared bonds between Iran and Egypt are deeper and broader than those with many other countries, and that in recent years significant efforts have been made by the authorities of the two countries to develop relations.
Referring to the holding of 15 meetings at the level of foreign ministers, Ferdosipoor added that meetings have also been held at various levels, including between the ministers of health, justice, tourism, and energy, with part of the agreements having entered the implementation stage and others currently under review.
He also announced the formation of a joint political consultations committee between the two countries, noting that two meetings have so far been held within the framework of this mechanism.
Ferdosipoor stated that during the sessions of the joint committee, issues such as cooperation between the judicial institutions of the two countries, prisoner exchanges, and the signing of judicial memoranda of understanding were examined, and that a significant portion of the talks was devoted to joint coordination regarding regional developments.
Asked about meeting Egypt’s oil needs, he clarified that Iran sees no obstacle to supplying Egypt’s oil requirements and that the necessary readiness exists should an official request be made by the Egyptian side, adding that no request has so far been submitted by Cairo.
The Iranian official, referring to Iran’s past investments in Egypt, said that Iran had previously invested in areas such as oil storage in the port of Alexandria, the automotive industry, truck manufacturing, and the textile industry in Egypt, and that the revival of these investments is now on the agenda of the joint committees.
Regarding the reason for the absence of a formal exchange of ambassadors between the two countries, Ferdosipoor stated that the decision to exchange ambassadors has effectively been made and that his own appointment at the ambassadorial level is itself evidence of this decision. He added that political will exists fully at the leadership level in both countries and that the only remaining issue is agreement on the timing of the official announcement.
In conclusion, he noted that nearly weekly telephone contacts are maintained between the foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt for consultation and coordination, and that overall, approximately 70 percent of the two countries’ views on regional issues have converged.