"Nothing extraordinary about 'normal' relations between Egypt & both Iran and Syria"

"After facing a series of questions on Monday evening by concerned Gulf states on the announcement by Foreign Minister Nabil El-Arabi that Egypt and Iran will resume normal relations, the source said: "What Minister El-Arabi is talking about is that we will have normal relations with Iran and there is nothing extraordinary there given that Gulf countries themselves have embassies in Tehran."

Currently, Egypt and Iran exchange diplomatic missions – something that is slightly above interest sections and less than full-fledged embassies. "The plan is to, yes, upgrade these missions into embassies and to keep the current head of diplomatic missions on as ambassadors," the same source added. This, he explained, does not amount to a strategic alliance "or anything of the sort as some Gulf capitals have been inclined to ask."...

The queries made by some Gulf capitals were essentially prompted by the fall-out between Tehran and Riyadh over the Saudi’s discontent with Iran’s alleged interference in the "internal affairs" of Bahrain...

"We remain sensitive to the concerns of all Arab countries but we also remain committed to uplift the profile of Egyptian diplomacy in the region – and we see no contradiction between these two," the same foreign ministry source said. Meanwhile, Egypt is also working on "easing tensions" with Syria. A recent visit by Mamdouh Mawafi, the new chief of Egyptian intelligence, to Damascus last month conveyed a "message of friendship... It is due to this visit and the statement made by Minister El-Arabi – during a recent meeting of the Arab League – that Cairo wants to turn a new page with Damascus that we managed to work smoothly to release the young Egyptian men who were recently arrested here," said a Damascus-based Egyptian diplomat. On another eastern front, Egypt is set to go ahead with a previously planned upgrade of relations with Iraq. In May, the joint Egyptian-Iraqi Committee will convene in Baghdad at the level of foreign ministers. A day or two later in the northern Iraqi town of Erbile, a new Egyptian consulate will be inaugurated by El-Arabi. These two events are planned to coincide with the scheduled Arab summit in Baghdad on 11 May. "But even if the summit is delayed, we will still go ahead with this plan," said an Egyptian diplomat..."