Ambassador of Iran Muhammad Hussein Sultani on Sunday denied recent statements regarding a symbolic trip between Tehran and Cairo and the visit of director general of Egyptian tourism to Tehran, stating that they were not made through official channels.
According to what he told the Mehr News Agency, Sultani said that, “We cannot confirm the authenticity of the news.”
Media outlets quoted the Syndicate of Air Travel and Tourism Services in Iran as saying that the first batch of Iranian tourists will go to Egypt within the next 45 days, as it indicated that the Director General of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, will visit Tehran next week.
Stalled relations
Spokesperson for the Iranian government Ali Bahadri Jahromi confirmed his country’s readiness to strengthen relations with Egypt a day after Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman visited Tehran, which was preceded by his visit to Egypt.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Jahromi as saying in a press conference on Tuesday: “As Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said, the government is ready to develop relations with Egypt.”
“The President of the Republic, Ibrahim Raisi, instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take the necessary measures, following the statements of the Supreme Leader.”
Relations between Cairo and Tehran deteriorated after the Iranian Islamic Revolution, and witnessed a remarkable improvement during the era of the late Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
However the development of relations did not last long after toppling Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood from power.
