Larijani: Iran, Egypt Pursuing Same Strategy over Israel

News number: 881003076417:20 | 2009-12-24Foriegn Policy
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8810030764

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani underlined that Iran
and Egypt do not differ in strategies regarding Israel.

Larijani, who returned from a four-day visit to Egypt on Wednesday, told
reporters that Iran and Egypt did not vary in strategies when it came to
Israel.

"There may be differing views in tactics (over Israel) between Iran and
Egypt but the strategies of the two countries are not different," press tv
quoted Larijani as saying.

He also said that Iran was pursuing a strategy that seeks to make maximum
use of the potentialities of Muslim countries in confronting Israel.

Larijani flew to Egypt on Sunday to take part in a committee meeting for the
Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC).

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.

The meetings are believed to be the first high-level talks between the two
countries since they broke off official diplomatic relations in 1980. Tehran
was critical of Cairo's 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.

In Cairo, Larijani emphasized, however, that Tehran and Cairo should put
aside their differences with regards to the Palestinian 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 Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit.