Sugarcoated Iranian Words in the Land of the Pharaohs
Abdullah Iskandar Al-Hayat - 03/02/08//
There have many Iranian statements recently about relations with Egypt. Many Iranian officials have also visited Cairo for non-political occasions, to announce that they are quite anxious to resume diplomatic ties with Egypt at the ambassadorial level.
Indeed, these visitors have been received at the highest levels in Egypt, including the country's presidency, after an expansion in commercial relations and economic exchange. However, during all these occasions Cairo has been keen to affirm that resuming normal diplomatic relations will have to await further Iranian steps. Nonetheless, Tehran does not tire of repeating that the matter is connected to the Egyptian position and that it has set no conditions for resuming relations, in a hint that Cairo is not ready for normalizing relations even if it wants to because it is under American pressure.
In other words, Tehran is trying to hold Cairo responsible for the slowdown in normalizing relations without offering any compromise regarding its behavior or policies. When senior Iranian officials say that it is a matter of time, it is only to affirm that no problem blocks the resumption of ties other than US pressure. The Iranians want things to appear as if they are only being asked to approve relations with Egypt and that the maximum that they can offer is to approve relations with a moderate Arab country that has signed a peace treaty with Israel.
Most likely, the Iranian diplomatic offensive at Arab moderate states cannot be separated from Iran's strategy of containing the impact of US pressure, especially on the nuclear issue, which remains open to dangerous possibilities.With Iran's insistence on uranium enrichment and keeping certain areas of its nuclear program in the shadows, the expectation of a continued confrontation with the UN Security Council which is headed toward endorsing another set of sanctions, Tehran sees no harm in trying to win the neutrality of the Arabs in the confrontation or even win some of them over. Thus, Tehran issues its sugarcoated words in every Arab direction, without acknowledging that this talk about joint interest and mutual cooperation requires that the Islamic Republic reevaluate its earlier policies, so that the sovereignty and interest of its partner are respected.
From an Egyptian practical perspective, official Iran still adheres to the policy of glorifying the killer of Anwar Sadat. Even with Egypt's national dignity aside, this glorification implies a complete rejection of all Egyptian policies that have resulted from the peace accord with Israel. However, a bigger source of anxiety is that the terrorism from which Egypt continues to suffer still finds its justification in this glorification. Different varieties of terror have hit several Arab countries and there are evidences implicating Iran as it poses as a "crossing point" and a "safe haven" for those wanted in their own countries on terror charges, some of whom are Egyptians. Other evidence indicates that Iran is a rear base for al-Qaida members, who are moving to Afghanistan and Iraq.
In Iraq, Iranian intervention takes place through support, training and mobilization in a direction that goes against the Arab consensus, especially regarding the efforts by Arab moderates including Egypt, to rearrange Iraq while taking into consideration all sectarian, ethnic and regional components and without blaming the Sunnis for the crimes of the former regime.
At the direct political level, while Tehran was declaring its desire to normalize relations with Egypt, the Gaza crossing-points crisis broke out; causing an embarrassing confrontation between Egypt and the Palestinians, especially that Egypt is also a guarantor participant in the international agreements over the security of these borders.
The crisis came at the peak of the political attack by Hamas at the domestic Palestinian front, relying on direct support from Iran and Syria. This has led to the view that the border crossing crisis was a form of pressure on Egypt, at the domestic and regional levels, more than a tool of pressure on Israel to lift the unjust siege on the Gaza Strip.
At the same time, Iran is moving in the direction of obstructing the Arab plan for Lebanon which finally emerged as a result of an Egyptian-Saudi initiative. Aside from the fabrications aimed at obstructing the presidential election, Iran's sponsorship of Hezbollah which is the backbone of the opposition in Lebanon and its support to the opposition in various ways, all contribute to fueling the continued institutional vacuum in an Arab country. Egypt finds itself on the opposite side of this Iranian policy.
Cairo is fully aware of the Iranian's behavior and demands that it be reviewed. Only once Iran makes this revaluation (abandoning the glorification of terror, halting direct intervention in combustible Arab issues, and opposing Arab moderates), can normal relations between Iran and the Arabs be expected.
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