Iranian Foreign Minister Visits Egypt After 11 Years Amid High Tensions in Middle East

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi arrived in Cairo, Egypt late on the afternoon of the 16th, Reuters reported.

This is the first visit by Iran's foreign minister to Egypt in more than 11 years since then-Secretary Ali Akbar Salehi's visit to Cairo in January 2013.

Arakchi will meet with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati and other top Egyptian officials to discuss the regional situation, including Israel's attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.

The two countries, which have been estranged for some time, have stepped up high-level contacts since the outbreak of the Gaza war last year, with Egypt taking on a mediating role.

At the end of July, Minister Abdelati visited Tehran to attend the inauguration of the Iranian president.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bagai told X that Arakchi had met with his foreign minister Ayman Safadi in Amman, Jordan, the day before and also with King Abdullah II.

Arakchi has been fighting diplomatic battles in Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Oman since last week to ease tensions and prevent the conflict from spreading in the Middle East.

Minister Arakchi will also visit Turkiye after completing his schedule in Egypt.