Iran President Ahmadinejad On Historic Visit To Egypt

Iran President Ahmadinejad Begins Historic Egypt Visit -- BBC

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

He was greeted on his arrival at Cairo International Airport by his Egyptian counterpart, Mohammed Morsi.

Mr Ahmadinejad is to attend a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), which begins on Wednesday.

Relations between the regional powers have improved since Egyptians elected an Islamist head of state in June.

However, they remain at odds over several issues, including Syria, which was suspended from the OIC at its last summit despite Iranian objections.

Read more ....

More News On Egyptian - Iranian Relations

Iran's Ahmadinejad in Egypt on historic visit -- Reuters
Iran's Ahmadinejad on Historic Visit to Cairo -- AP
Ahmadinejad meets Morsi in landmark Cairo visit -- AFP
Iranian President Makes Landmark Visit to Egypt -- Voice of America
Iran's Ahmadinejad makes historic visit to Cairo -- The Telegraph
Landmark Visit by Ahmadinejad Is Test for Egypt’s Mursi -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Egypt: Morsi, Ahmadinejad Hold Talks At Cairo Airport -- allAfrica.com
Syria tops talks on Ahmadinejad's historic Egypt trip -- AFP
Iranian Shi'ite president to meet Egypt's top Sunni cleric -- Reuters
‘Egypt unlikely to restore relations with Iran’ -- Ramadan Al Sherbini, Gulf News
Egypt reassures Gulf monarchies over ties with Iran -- AFP
The video that helps explain Egypt and Iran’s deep mutual mistrust -- Max Fisher, Washington Post

Why Is Egypt’s Intelligence Chief Meeting A Senior Iranian Spy In Secret?

Image: The national flags of Iran (L) and Egypt. (File photo)

The Cairo-Tehran Express -- Washington Free Beacon

Egyptian-Iranian intelligence meeting prompts fears of a new Middle East terror axis.

U.S. intelligence agencies recently monitored a secret meeting between Egypt’s intelligence chief and a senior Iranian spy that is raising new fears the Muslim Brotherhood government in Cairo could begin covertly supporting global terrorism.

According to U.S. officials, the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Maj. Gen. Murad Muwafi, met in early August with a senior official of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).

Read more ....

My Comment: This Egyptian - Iranian intelligence alliance is not far-fetched. Egypt is already willing to share intel on Israel with Hamas.

A Historic Meeting Between Egypt And Iran

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (R) receiving an invitation to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Tehran from Iranian Vice President Hamid Baghaei during a meeting at the presidential palace in Cairo on August 8, 2012. Press TV

Egypt's President Holds Talks With Iran's Vice President -- L.A. Times

The meeting between Mohamed Morsi and Hamid Baghaei is the highest-level official contact between the nations in decades and signals a new era in Egyptian diplomacy.

CAIRO — Signaling a new era in Egypt's diplomacy, President Mohamed Morsi met withIran's vice president Wednesday in the highest-level official contact between the two strategic nations in decades.

Morsi's visit with Hamid Baghaei gave Iran a diplomatic coup amid sharpening international pressure over its nuclear program and links to Syria. It came as Egypt's new Islamist president looks to gradually reshape the pro-American policies of toppled leader Hosni Mubarak to reflect political shifts brought by the"Arab Spring" revolts.

Read more ....

Update #1: Iran's vice-president to pay historic visit to Egypt -- Ahram Online
Update #2: Egypt President Morsi receives official invitation to Tehran NAM summit -- Press TV (Iran)

My Comment: The purpose of this visit is to invite the Egyptian President to a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Tehran. If accepted, this signals a major shift in Egypt's foreign policy, with consequences that I am sure that many in the region are pondering right now.

Old Middle Eastern Enemies Are Now Becoming Friends

Egyptians Court U.S. Foes -- Wall Street Journal

CAIRO—Iran and Egypt's new government signaled Monday they were moving quickly to thaw decades of frosty relations, worrying the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia that the overtures could upset the Mideast's fragile balance of power.

Iran said it appointed an ambassador to Egypt for the first time since the two sides froze diplomatic relations more than three decades ago, the website of the Iranian government's official English-language channel, Press TV, reported late Monday.

Read more ....

More News On The Developing Egypt - Iran Relationship

Egypt and Iran forging closer links with ambassadors plan -- The Telegraph
Egyptian Foreign Ministry denies resumption of diplomatic relations with Iran -- Ahram Online
Egypt's diplomatic moves may upset US -- FOX News
Top Egyptian Islamist in Tehran talks -- Ahram Online/AFP
Iran appoints 1st ambassador to Egypt in 30 years -- Ynet News

My Comment: These moves should not be a surprise. Even though there is an Arab-Sunni Iranian-Shiite split, both countries do have some common interests. But what the Egyptians should be concerned about is how the Saudi may react. But for the moment .... while the Saudis are concerned .... they are doing nothing to change this growing Egypt-Iran relationship.