Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Cairo, marking the first visit to Egypt by an Iranian president since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. Ahmadinejad flew into the capital, Cairo, to attend a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), which begins on Wednesday.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi kissed the Iranian leader as he got off the plane on Tuesday.
Ahmadinejad will also meet with Egyptian officials and politicians during his three-day visit, the official IRNA news agency reported.
“I will try to pave the ground for developing co-operation between Iran and Egypt,” Ahmadinejad said ahead of the trip.
Without elaborating, he said the visit would “definitely influence the bilateral ties” between Tehran and Cairo.
Egypt has responded cautiously to Iranian efforts to revive ties since Morsi took power in 2012, with the two nations adopting opposing positions on the Syrian conflict.
Iran supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Egypt has been a leading voice in urging his departure – along with regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. “If Tehran and Cairo see more eye to eye on regional and international issues, many [issues] will change,” Ahmadinejad was quoted by IRNA as saying.
Tehran severed ties with Cairo in 1980 in protest at a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel by then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.
Ahmadinejad also expressed interest in visiting the neighbouring Gaza Strip. Asked in an interview on the Al Mayadeen news channel whether he would visit Gaza while in Cairo next week or before his term as president expires in June, he replied: “My wish is bigger than this. I wish to pray in Jerusalem after complete liberation.” “If they allow it, I would go to Gaza to visit the people,” he said, without saying whose authority he would seek.
Iran does not recognise Israel.
