Zurückrudern – wieder einmal!

Der Iran versucht (wieder einmal), die Strategie des Schulterschlusses mit den arabischen Staaten zu fahren, um außenpolitisch Luft zu bekommen. Ob das gut geht?

Ich (man) muss kein Prophet sein, um das zu sehr skeptisch zu beurteilen. Mehr als ein Luftholen oder Zurückrudern ist das nicht.

Abbildung rechts (FARS) : Qazanfar Roknabadi

Iran Seeking to Boost Cooperation with Arab States

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official revealed that Tehran intends to refurbish ties with the Arab countries in a move to mend its relations with those states with which it has a low record of diplomatic activity, including Jordan and Egypt.

„The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to enhance cooperation with Arab countries, including Jordan and Egypt,“ Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Office for Middle-Eastern Affairs Qazanfar Roknabadi said in an exclusive interview with FNA on Friday.

Meantime, Roknabadi reminded that the relations between Tehran and Amman have witnessed a leap in recent years.

Asked about the latest conditions and developments in the ties between Iran and Egypt as well as Tehran’s plans to elevate its relations with Cairo, he said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always viewed ties with Egypt through a positive outlook.

Roknabadi further pointed to the presence and activity of Iranian tourist companies and cultural institutions as well as the two countries‘ joint bank and Iran’s biggest auto-making company, Iran-Khodro, in Egypt as instances of economic cooperation between the two countries, and said, „(The two countries‘) Economic activities do not face any limit or restriction.“

He also reminded that both countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)’s troika, and said Egypt has always voiced support for Iran stances on different international issues, specially with regard to the latter’s nuclear case.

Iran and Egypt in December held their first high-level talks, since they broke off official diplomatic relations in 1980. The rapprochement took place during a visit by Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani to Cairo.

Tehran severed its ties with Egypt almost three decades ago after Cairo signed a peace treaty with Israel.

Ties between the two were further strained during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in December 2008-January 2009.

Tehran criticized Egypt during the war for its refusal to open the Rafah border-crossing, the only route for the impoverished Gaza Strip to receive aid.

During his stay in Cairo, Larijani held talks with leading Egyptian officials, including President Hosni Mubarak, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and his counterpart Ahmed Fathi Surur.

In Cairo, Larijani emphasized, however, that Tehran and Cairo should put aside their differences with regard to the Palestinian issue, take the bright side and strive to work out mutual cooperation in a bid to accelerate a settlement of the issue.

„It is most important for Iran and Egypt to set aside their differences and to focus on bridging the gap between political factions in Palestine,“ said Larijani in a meeting with Aboul Gheit.

Quelle: FARS