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Ali Larijani has been on a visit to Egypt. According to Agence France-Presse, Larijani — Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s special representative to Iran’s National Security Council — was in Egypt on a private visit with family members, but has met with Egyptian head of intelligence Gen. Omar Suleiman as well as Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit. Larijani’s comments after the meetings were positive, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said publicly that he favors normalization of relations with Egypt. The Egyptians have also said that progress is being made toward normalization.
Iran’s relations with Egypt were broken in 1979 over Anwar Sadat’s decision to enter into a peace treaty and normalize relations with Israel after the Islamic revolution in Iran. The Iranians applauded the assassination of Sadat, naming a street after the assassin and placing a picture of him on the street. The Egyptians have until now said they would never renew relations until the picture was removed and the street renamed. The Iranians have promised to do so several times but have not. Questioned about the matter, Larijani said it was a side issue and that Iran and Egypt have more important things to discuss.
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