Iran and Egypt have decided to restore full diplomatic relations severed 25 years ago, Iran's Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi said on Tuesday. "The two states have decided to restore ties. It's a definite move and right now they are making the preparations," Reuters quoted Abtahi as saying.
Earlier in an apparent step to improve ties between Iran and Egypt, the Tehran City Council on Tuesday agreed to rename Khaled Islambouli street, called after the assassin of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, to Intifada (uprising) of the Palestinians in the occupied lands, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The decision came upon the request of the foreign ministry on Monday, a day after Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher described the Camp David peace accord between Cairo and Tel Aviv a thing of the past.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi, who attended the council session, said, "The changing of the street name has taken place on the basis of the new atmosphere, created between Iran and Egypt."
"This decision is a step in line with the principle of detente and trust-building among world countries, especially the Islamic states," he added.
Asefi said Tehran has taken the decision "on the basis of the Islamic Republic's dignity, wisdom and expedience".
The news agency also said the decision follows last month's remarks of President Mohammad Khatami who hoped December talks held between him and Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak in Geneva would put an end to years of estrangement between both countries.
"Both Iranian and Egyptian officials are determined and willing to remove obstacles on the way (of rapprochement). I hope the negotiations will bear favorable fruits," Khatami had been quoted as saying.
Tehran and Cairo first "broke the ice" in June 2000 after President Khatami spoke over phone with his Egyptian counterpart in the first such conversation by the leaders of both countries.
The former Tehran City Council, led mostly by advocates of
political reform, had once before taken the unusual initiative of changing the name of the street, IRNA added.
However, the move was put on freeze later, in the wake of serious political wrangling among rival factions and demonstrations, the agency said.
Tehran severed its relations with Cairo after former President Anwar Sadat signed the Camp David peace accord with Israel and harbored the Iranian Shah. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
