Dr. Ahmed Mostafa writes
Moving between the diplomatic atmosphere of two countries that I love very much is a wonderful thing for me on a personal level – and in charming Cairo, the day began in the afternoon with a meeting with the Iranian ambassador and the head of Iranian interests in Egypt, Mr. Mohammad Hossein Soltanifard, at the Iranian Interests Office in Cairo, where we met for the first time with the great Egyptian journalist, Mr. Osama Sharshar, editor-in-chief of Al-Nahar newspaper and member of parliament. Also, Mr. Ashraf AboArafe, editor-in-chief of the “Aldiplomasy” website, one of the news websites that has recently gained fame as an independent website, where I was honored to have published many of my articles over the past year in Arabic and English. This is to arrange the reception for the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which will take place on Monday, February 12, 2024, in Cairo.
This cooperation coincides with developments in the situation in the region and developments in Egyptian-Iranian relations after 3 important meetings that began on the sidelines of the United Nations meetings last September between the Egyptian and Iranian Foreign Ministers, Mr. Shoukry and Mr. Abdollahian. This was followed by the invitation sent to the Iranian Minister of Finance to Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh, on the occasion of holding the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank Forum in Egypt.
Then the biggest event was followed by the meeting of the Egyptian and Iranian presidents, Mr. Sisi and Mr. Raisi, in Riyadh nearly two months ago, in the first Arab-Islamic summit in the presence of all presidents and kings. The credit for this goes to His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who insisted on this presence to crystallize a unified Arab and Islamic position against the violations and unjust war waged by the entity against our brothers in Gaza.
The remarkable thing is that the audience was optimistic about the convergence of visions between Arab and Islamic countries, unlike what had happened previously. Despite the intense need for more decisive (collective action) with the Zionist entity for a ceasefire, as well as the emphasis on a Palestinian state with full rights and sovereignty – we thank Saudi Arabia yesterday for returning Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, for the fifth time, disappointed that Saudi Arabia adheres to its position, which it insists on years ago. This is the position I mentioned in a meeting with a Saudi media figure, to give everyone their due rights.
The striking thing currently is that there is an opportunity to play many roles and activate many important initiatives under the BRICS Plus group after Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia obtained BRICS membership at the beginning of this year and in several areas that we will mention later.
The beautiful thing is the Iranian Ambassador Mr. Fard’s emphasis on the importance and priority of Egypt for the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the unlimited support in all areas that can bring the two countries together, whether on the economic level. In the field of partnership at the business level and the establishment of a free zone for Iranian businessmen in Egypt. As well as business incubators for emerging companies, which is a promising field between the two countries, and this is what we discussed previously with some Iranian delegations that visited Egypt.
As well as providing any energy deficit that Egypt may be exposed to, whether in natural gas or oil and its derivatives, with the possibility of purchasing it with the Egyptian pound and on preferential terms in honor of Egypt. And of course, technical, scientific, and artistic cooperation, as well as media cooperation between the two countries and soft power work in the form of joint artistic works and platforms in agreement between the two countries in the future. Of course, tourism to Egypt is very much in demand from the Iranian side, whether for recreational tourism or religious tourism.
There is another area that Russia, China, and the rest of the BRICS countries are interested in, which is fighting terrorist and extremist movements, those dark movements that are trying to take us back to the Middle Ages. Indeed, Egypt and Iran are working with Russia through the “Group of Strategic Visio – Russia and the Islamic World” in this field, and I was honored to be invited to Moscow, Kazan, and Yalta for this large platform since the end of 2015 as an active party in these initiatives.
Of course, everyone hoped that some kind of grand alliance would occur in the region between the 4 countries we mentioned previously (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey) as this alliance would be the protective shield for the Arab and Islamic countries if intentions were good, and if it was formed in an acceptable, scientific, and consensual manner.
In the end, Ambassador Fard stressed the need for Egypt to restore its leadership role in the region because this is in the interest of Iran in particular and the Arab and Islamic countries in general. As well as the need for new and innovative activities that revive relations between the two countries in a way that ensures the satisfaction of both parties and mutual respect between the two great countries.
