Iran and Egypt to expand diplomatic relations on sidelines of D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation summit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is visiting Cairo for the first time in 11 years, as reported by Press TV, a partner of TV BRICS.

The primary purpose of President Pezeshkian’s visit is to attend the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation summit on 19 December, a forum of developing Muslim nations focused on fostering economic collaboration.

The main theme of the summit starting is “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.” Earlier, a preliminary meeting of D-8 foreign ministers was held in Cairo.

Jafar Qanadbashi, an Iranian analyst of West Asia affairs, highlighted the D-8 summit's importance for Iran, likening it to a Muslim version of the global BRICS group and noting that D-8 represents 13 per cent of the world's population.

However, the potential for renewed diplomatic ties between the two countries of the Muslim world, Egypt and Iran, is equally important, the expert claimed.

Pezeshkian’s agenda includes discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on regional and bilateral issues.

Iranian President described Egypt, the host of the meeting, as a country with a very long history.

"Egypt is an influential country in the Islamic world, and on the sidelines of the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia in November, in a meeting I had with the President of Egypt, we had fruitful discussions"

Masoud Pezeshkian Iranian President

Mehdi Sanaei, a senior political aide to the Iranian President, suggests the summit could act as a catalyst for the reopening of embassies and the appointment of ambassadors.

“There is the necessary will for both countries to resume relations, and we hope that with the measures that have been taken and are being taken, we will go as far as to reopen embassies in the near future,” Mehdi Sanaei stated.

According to the source, analysts have highlighted the economic and commercial opportunities between the two countries that could pave the way for investment in sectors such as textiles, banking, and shipping, opening up new opportunities for economic relations.

Apart from that, Masoud Pezeshkian has proposed the establishment of a dedicated financial mechanism to enhance trade among D-8 member nations. He affirmed Iran’s readiness to lead the initiative, positioning it as a pivotal step toward achieving the D-8’s shared objectives.

Prior to these, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with his Egyptian counterpart on the sidelines of the Ministerial Conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Araqchi expressed hope that Egypt's chairmanship of the D-8 organisation will lead to enhancing its efficiency and dynamism, expressing the Islamic Republic of Iran's readiness to support Egypt within this framework.

As the event came to a close, the two ministers also exchanged views on some issues of mutual interest in the bilateral sphere.

Photo: president.ir