TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday that he would welcome the resumption of diplomatic relations with Egypt. This he said during a meeting with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who was visiting Iran.
Relations between Tehran and Cairo have remained strained since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and Egypt’s recognition of Israel, which is viewed as Iran’s sworn enemy. Khamenei revealed that the Omani leader had informed him of Egypt’s willingness to restore relations.
Khamenei stated, “We welcome the Omani Sultan’s statement about Egypt’s willingness to resume relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we have no problem in this regard,” as reported on his official website.
In recent months, significant shifts have occurred in the Middle East, including a China-mediated reconciliation between regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran, which was announced in March. This development has led to improved ties between Iran, a Shiite Muslim power, and other predominantly Sunni Arab states.
Khamenei Calls for Strengthening Cooperation Between Oman and Iran
Khamenei also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between Oman and Iran, particularly due to their shared ownership of the crucial waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. He stated, “It is important to increase cooperation between Oman and Iran because the two countries share the very important waterway of the Strait of Hormuz.”
The sultan’s visit comes shortly after a prisoner exchange between Iran and Belgium that was facilitated by Oman. Oman has long served as a mediator between Iran and the West. In the exchange, Iran released Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who had been held for nearly 15 months, in return for diplomat Assadollah Assadi, detained in Belgium over allegations of involvement in a 2018 plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally in Paris.
During his visit, the sultan met with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, who expressed the potential for improved bilateral relations, particularly in areas such as industry, defense, and security affairs. Raisi stated, “Tehran and Muscat have common views on regional cooperation, strengthening and stabilizing the security, peace, and prosperity of the nations of the region.”
Several memorandums of understanding and agreements on promoting investment were signed during the sultan’s two-day visit, which took place one year after President Raisi visited Muscat. Oman, known for its close ties with Iran, has played a mediating role between Tehran and the United States, particularly leading up to the 2015 nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers in Vienna.
The sultan’s visit marks the first by an Omani leader to Iran since 2013 when Qaboos bin Said Al Said visited Tehran during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, who was in power when the 2015 nuclear deal was sealed.
