Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day visit Monday, June 2, to Egypt’s capital, Cairo, during which he met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
As part of the visit, a meeting was also held between al-Sisi, Araghchi, and head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi, to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.
Although Araghchi’s visit to Cairo is the third in less than a year, it is the first of its kind as it was conducted on the formal invitation of his Egyptian counterpart, amid critical regional developments in the West Asia region, including:
- Israel’s ongoing genocidal aggression on Gaza
- Iran-US nuclear negotiations
- Escalation in the Red Sea
- The situation in Lebanon and Syria
The relations between the two countries have, for decades, been marked by instability, with periods of tension punctuated by intervals of cooperation based on regional geopolitical transformations, and power-balance-related factors.
The presence of two blocs in the West Asia region, one which firmly adheres to anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist ideology, and another with absolute loyalty to the United States and its western allies, has been the main dynamic in shaping coalitions.
Consequently, the US-backed Israeli occupation has always been at the center of major shifts in regional political order.
Iran and Egypt: a mercurial relation
1930s – Early relations under King Farouk I
In the 1930s, Egypt, which was ruled by King Farouk I, maintained amicable relations with Iran, although they were not close allies. This relation is believed to have been boosted through the marriage of the son of Iran’s Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to the sister of King Farouk, Princess Fawzia. In 1948, the relationship between the two countries became tense after the marriage ended in divorce.
1950s – Rise of Nasser and diplomatic rupture over Israel
When Gamal Abdel Nasser became the president of Egypt in 1954, after overthrowing King Farouk’s monarchy in 1952, relations between Egypt and Iran entered a phase of hostility due to the allegiance of the Shah to the United States and Israel. This hostility peaked in 1960, when Nasser severed diplomatic ties with Iran over the Shah’s recognition of Israel.
1970s – Rapprochement and renewed tensions over Israel
In 1970, Anwar al-Sadat became the president of Egypt after Nasser’s death. As part of his foreign policy that aligned with the United States, Al-Sadat restored friendly relationships with Iran.
However, the cordial ties between the two nations did not last long. In 1979, the Iranian Revolution replaced the monarchy of the Shah with the Islamic Republic. This in turn, led to the breakdown of relations with Egypt after the latter signed a peace agreement with Israel, known as the Camp David Accords.
1980s – Fluctuations under Mubarak
Relations further deteriorated in 1981, after Iran named a street after Khaled Eslamboli in its capital, Tehran. Eslamboli was an Egyptian military officer who planned the assassination of Al-Sadat that same year over his peace agreement with Israel.
Hosni Mubarak assumed the presidency of Egypt after Al-Sadat was killed, and was president between 1981 and 2011. The relations between Cairo and Tehran during his rule saw limited engagement and fluctuating periods of tension and brief ease, as Mubarak was also close to the United States.
2011 – Relations re-established under Morsi after Egyptian Revolution
After the January 25 Revolution overthrew Mubarak in 2011, Mohammad Morsi was elected president of Egypt, opening the door for re-establishing the relations with Iran.
A considerable improvement in diplomatic ties was accomplished during the very short period of Morsi’s rule, which ended by his overthrow by the Egyptian Military in 2013.
2013 – Relations turn cold under al-Sisi
The relations between the two countries have been relatively cold since the current President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took power in 2013 to the present day, with no major disturbance taking place.
2023 – Small steps toward diplomatic relations
In 2023, Egypt and Iran began making cautious moves towards restoring bilateral diplomatic relations, believed to be prompted by the normalization between Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier that year.
Yet, the tremendous political changes across the region beyond 2023, seems to have accelerated the Iranian-Egyptian efforts towards normalization.
New regional coalitions loom in the horizon after “Al-Aqsa Flood”
Since Hamas launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel on October 7, 2023, the power balance in the West Asia Region has experienced radical shifts.
On one hand, the US appears more determined to eliminate the Axis of Resistance – in which Iran has a leading role – and provide Israel with unlimited support in its all out multi-front war.
On the other hand, Washington has been exerting pressure on countries neighboring occupied Palestine to host over two million Palestinians as part of a US-Israeli plan to displace them from Gaza.
Egypt was one of the main host countries proposed by US President Donald Trump, but al-Sisi rejected the proposal that would have repercussions on Egypt’s “national security”.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent visit to the region revealed the US tendency towards isolating Egypt, as he did not include a stop in Cairo, nor did he invite the Egyptian President to attend the US-Gulf summit that was held in Saudi Arabia as part of the visit.
The conflict in Sudan has also cast a shadow on Egypt’s regional alliances, as Egypt is said to have provided logistical support to the Sudanese army, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) supports its rival the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The involvement in this conflict has resulted in tension between Cairo and Abu Dhabi.
The developments that unfolded after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation also pushed Iran to look for new coalitions after Israel dealt severe blows to Tehran’s allies in the Axis of Resistance, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Palestinian resistance movements in Gaza and the West Bank.
The overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was also a major development that resulted in a notable setback for the Axis of Resistance. Moreover, the rise of a new government in Syria, which is supported by the US and is willing to normalize ties with Israel, represents another dilemma for Iran.
Both countries agree to strengthen bilateral ties
In a joint press conference held in Cairo on Monday, Araghchi and Abdelatty confirmed that their countries are willing to enhance bilateral relations on different levels.
“There is a desire to expand relations, political consultations and cooperation on the political and economic levels and all others,” Araghchi said.
“We have a desire to overcome obstacles that have been impeding these ties. The opportunity is available now more than ever,” he added.
With regard to restoring the exchange of ambassadors, Araghchi clarified that although the ambassadors have not been reinstated yet, close cooperation between Iran and Egypt is underway.
The Iranian FM noted that Iran and Egypt are “not in a hurry” concerning the ambassadors. “When our brothers in Egypt are ready, we will be ready,” he emphasized.
For his part, Abdelatty described the efforts to expand Egypt’s relations with Iran as “significant”, pointing out that both countries agreed to boost their relations in the fields of trade and tourism.
