[AP/International Herald Tribune] Ali Larijani, head of Iran's powerful National Security Council, held talks this week with Egyptian officials and religious leaders in Cairo on ways of restoring diplomatic ties, severed nearly thirty years ago over bilateral and regional disputes. Tehran cut diplomatic ties after Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979 and provided asylum for the deposed Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Relations further deteriorated when Egypt backed Iraq during the 1980-1988 Gulf War. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit has said that a resumption of ties could only take place if Iran takes down a large mural of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's assassin, Khaled el-Islambouli, and changes the name of a street honoring him.
2007-12-28 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive