Egypt, Iran discuss regional affairs

Iranian politician Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who is assistant to the speaker of parliament, met with Egyptian diplomat Yasser Othman and discussed Palestinian affairs and regional and international developments, the FARS news agency reported.

Othman is the head of Egyptian interest section office in Tehran.

The officials discussed topics of mutual interest, including parliamentary relations in addition to Palestinian affairs and regional and international matters.

They also “emphasised the importance of supporting the Palestinian people”, the semi-official news agency added.

Egypt and post-revolution Iran have been through strenuous relations in the past four decades. The two countries cut diplomatic ties in 1979. Thorny issues ranged from Egypt’s sheltering of Iran’s ousted Shah and Iran’s naming of a street in Tehran after the assassin of late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to the more serious issues like Egypt’s support for Saddam Hussein during the first Gulf War between Iran and Iraq.

Egypt is a close ally of Iranian foe Saudi Arabia with the coup government of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is both financially and politically supported by the Saudi monarchy.

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