Egypt: Middle East's stability one of our foreign policy priorities

Stability in the Middle East is one of Egypt’s most important foreign policy goals, foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said yesterday.

“Maintaining Arab national security, safety and stability of the Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf states, is a fundamental pillar in terms of the region’s stability,” Abu Zeid stressed.

The Egyptian ministry’s remarks came in response to the recent statements made by the official spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry about Egypt’s role in the regional security as well as its stance towards Iran.

In response, Abu Zeid pointed out that “Egypt has always stressed the principles of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, having good neighbourly relations, rejecting sectarianism and combating all forms of terrorism and extremism.”

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“Such calls serve stability in the Middle East and Arab world and enhance peaceful co-existence between the region’s people on the basis of mutual respect and interests,” he stressed.

On Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi commented in a press conference on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s remarks concerning Egyptian-Iranian relations, saying that the “Egyptian officials should stay away from traditional visions held over centuries and realise the realities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“If they [Egyptian officials] reach this stage, then more opportunities for dialogue and understanding will be provided,” he stressed

Qasimi noted that Egypt did not play a good role in securing the region’s stability, accusing Cairo of following “wrong” policies. “Iran and Egypt have several things in common and Cairo must play a bigger role regarding stability in the Middle East,” Tasnim News Agency reported him saying. 

Egyptian-Iranian relations have been stalled since 1978 when Tehran severed formal diplomatic ties with Egypt following the Camp David agreement between Cairo and Israel.