Iran's foreign minister to visit Egypt next week amid deepening ties

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to visit Cairo on Monday for talks aimed at deepening bilateral relations and discussing regional developments, with the ongoing war in Gaza expected to top the agenda.

According to Iranian diplomatic sources who spoke to The New Arab's Arabic sister outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Araghchi will hold discussions on "ways of developing and advancing bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues, foremost among them the genocide in Gaza".

The visit marks a significant step in Tehran’s broader diplomatic push to normalise ties with key regional capitals following its rapprochement with Saudi Arabia last year.

The same sources said Araghchi will also brief Egyptian officials on the progress of indirect talks with the US, which have been mediated by Oman since 12 April. One added that "the Iranian foreign minister may visit one or two other countries in the region as part of Iran’s policy of strengthening relations and cooperation with regional states". 

The Egyptian-Iranian relationship has historically been fraught, with full diplomatic ties severed in 1980 after then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made peace with Israel and provided safe haven for the deposed Shah of Iran.

However, relations have gradually warmed, especially since the Iranian-Saudi détente in 2023. Iran and Egypt currently maintain interests sections in lieu of embassies, and recent high-level meetings have signalled a potential shift.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Cairo in January to attend a summit of developing Islamic nations. In remarks aired on Iranian state television on 19 May and cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Araghchi said:

"Our relations with Egypt are now much broader than before. The presidents have met several times, and the foreign ministers have met nearly ten times. Telephone communications between us continue regularly."

"As for the establishment of formal relations, there is still some work to be done. Further confidence-building measures are required. The appropriate conditions must also be present on the ground and in the region. Overall, I believe that the path which began under the martyred president Ebrahim Raisi was very positive, and it continues to this day, with its results gradually becoming apparent," he added. 

The Cairo visit comes amid a wider Iranian push to re-establish its presence across the region, including recent diplomatic overtures toward Bahrain.

Iranian officials have suggested that renewed ties with Egypt could serve as a platform for broader regional coordination - and, perhaps, rapprochement with Western powers amid crippling sanctions.