Based on my repeated observations, corroborated by numerous facts, there is a noticeable appreciation towards Egypt’s approach in managing its foreign relations.
Egypt’s national interest is its clear objective, and the adoption of ‘political pragmatism’ is its chosen path.
The recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Egypt is significant, as it comes at a time when the region – and indeed the world – is witnessing a realignment, with areas of disagreement diminishing and the importance of seeking common ground and mutual interests growing more prominent.
Relations between Egypt and Iran are among the most complex in the Middle East due to significant political and ideological differences that have persisted for a long time.
Therefore, this visit is highly significant. With the recent war waged by Israel on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, Egyptian-Iranian rapprochement may be closer than ever before.
President Sisi met with Araghchi, wherein they discussed the ongoing developments in the region.
Sisi affirmed Egypt’s position calling for an end to the escalation and preventing the region from sliding into a comprehensive regional war, which would have dangerous repercussions on the security and resources of all countries and peoples in the region.
He stressed the need to continue and intensify international efforts aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, halting attacks in the West Bank, and providing urgent and sufficient humanitarian aid to end the suffering of civilians.
The Iranian minister on his end expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s ongoing efforts to achieve stability and security in the region, commending Egypt’s role in this regard in all areas.
During the meeting, it was agreed on the importance of continuing the current path to explore prospects for jointly developing relations between the two countries.
It is believed that through this visit, Iran seeks to improve relations with Egypt after years of stagnation.
Since the Saudi-Iranian agreement in March 2023 to resume relations, the pace of communication between Iran and Egypt has increased, and intermediaries have conveyed messages between the two countries to pave the way for the resumption of diplomatic relations.
Despite obstacles, there are encouraging signs of the possibility of achieving diplomatic progress between Cairo and Tehran, especially in light of the shared security challenges in the region, such as the situations in Yemen and the Gaza Strip.
On the other hand, there may also be some shared interests that could lead to further Egyptian-Iranian rapprochement, especially in securing the movement of trade and navigation in the Strait of Hormuz – which is controlled by the Huthi militias supported by Tehran.
Regardless of the chances of rapprochement or the obstacles along the way, relations may witness – even temporarily – a kind of harmony as both nations cooperate on some shared regional issues such as the crises in Lebanon and Gaza.
This scenario assumes that both countries will work together to build bridges of trust through political and diplomatic dialogue in the future.
At this time, the question remains as to whether the idea of rapprochement itself will contribute to resolving the situations in Gaza and Lebanon.
Perhaps this will happen, but any progress in the situation will be contingent on actions, which largely depend on the ability of the two parties to overcome the obstacles between them and build an effective political dialogue
