WATANI International
8 May 2011
Egypt’s prospective resumption of diplomatic relations with Iran raise eyebrows in the Gulf
Two pivotal events took place in that fateful year of 1979. In Tehran, the Islamic revolution of Iran toppled the Shah and took over the rule of the country; and in Cairo, Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel. The two events may appear at first sight unrelated but the consequence was that Iran severed diplomatic relations with Egypt; it did not help at all that Egypt had offered asylum to Iran’s deposed Mohamed Reza Pahlavi. To this day, relations were never resumed. Iran’s influential role in the Middle East opposed that of Egypt in such key issues such as in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Israeli struggle.
Turning a new leaf
The past few weeks, however, have seen a rapprochement between the two countries. Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi said Egypt had decided to open a new chapter in relations with Iran after over 30 years of strained ties. Arabi said he will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned summit next month, “which will be a good chance to discuss the future steps in our relationships.”
Following Arabi’s declarations, the Iranian media announced that an Iranian ambassador would be appointed to Cairo, but Menha Bakhoum, the spokeswoman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, said that the appointment decision was still under study. She stressed that no decision has yet been reached regarding the resumption of diplomatic ties.
Sour relations
Meanwhile, relations appeared to sour between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, some of whom have strained relations with Iran regarding security in the Gulf. Even though Arabi stressed that any normalisation of relations between Egypt and Iran will not affect the security of Arab countries in the Gulf region, the UAE postponed indefinitely a scheduled visit by Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf among a Gulf countries tour which included Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Sharaf vowed when visiting Kuwait that an improvement in relations with Iran would not undermine security of oil-rich Arab countries in the Gulf. “The security of the Gulf,” he said, “is a red line that must not be crossed.” Sharaf discussed expanding trade and investment between Egypt and the Gulf countries, and keeping Egyptian workers in Qatar.
Sunni Shia sensitivities
Commenting on the Egyptian Iranian rapprochement, political analyst Nabil Abdel-Fattah of the al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS) told Watani that Egyptians from different social sectors today endorse a trend for change in Egyptian foreign relations. After the 25 January Revolution, he said, members of these sectors believe that the rift with Iran was not crucial and that resuming relations would serve to better secure the region, especially where the conflict with Israel is concerned.
“But Iran should have offered some concessions,” Abdel-Fattah said, “such as changing the name of the Tehran street named after Khaled al-Islamboli, who assassinated President Anwar al-Sadat in October 1981.”
He added that Egyptian relations with Iran should be formulated in a balanced manner. The new formulation, he said, should take into account the sensitivities involved in the difference between the Sunni sect predominantly endorsed in Egypt and the Shia of Iran. In general, however, the Egyptian culture adopts a more open and profound view of the different sects, even while it resents sectarian development.
Conflict of interest
According to Mahmoud Shukry who is a former Egyptian ambassador to Syria, the resumption of relations with Iran only reflects that Egypt is not against extending an open hand to any country in the world, including Iran. But Shukry believes the timing is not right, considering the current tension between Iran and the Gulf countries who accused Iran of being behind the unrest in Bahrain. Other reasons also stand in the way of resumption of relations with Iran, according to Shukry; not least among which are fears of a Shiite expansion.
The tense Iran-Gulf countries relationship is the main factor against the resumption of the Egyptian Iranian relations, expert in Iranian affairs Mustafa al-Labbad told Watani. The Gulf countries consider Iran a threat to their national security which is directly related to Egypt’s national security, he said. Labbad denied allegations that the resumption of the Egyptian Iranian relations is intended against Israel’s security and American interests in the region.
Gamal Abdel-Gawwad, head of the Foreign Relations Unit with ACPSS, was in complete agreement with Labbad. Gulf countries are strategic allies for Egypt in the region, he explained; Egypt cannot sacrifice these ties for relations with Iran. “We cannot overlook the fact that Iran is a prospective threat to the national security of the Gulf countries, or that millions of Egyptians live and work in several Gulf countries.”