Egypt’s new president aims to restore its ties with Iran

Egypt’s new Islamist president plans to re-establish the country’s long-severed ties with Iran, shaking up the firmly pro-Western foreign policy stance of the former regime.

Mohammed Morsi, 60, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, defeated Ahmed Shafiq, 70, a former air force general and member of the Mubarak regime, in a divisive race to become Egypt’s first democratically elected president on Sunday.

Mr Morsi signalled his wishes to restore relations with the Islamic republic in an interview yesterday with Fars, an Iranian news agency.

Diplomatic relations between Tehran and Cairo have been strained for more than 30 years, following the 1979 Islamic revolution and Egypt’s signing of a peace treaty with Israel.

The move could disconcert the West, which has sought to isolate Iran over its nuclear programme. But Mr Morsi said rebuilding relations with Iran would establish a “balance of pressure” in the region.

“We must restore normal relations with Iran based on shared interests,” Mr Morsi said. He also called for wider co-operation in political and economic spheres.

Asked to comment on reports that, if elected, his first state visit would be to Riyadh, Mr Morsi said: “I didn’t say such a thing and until now my first international visits following my victory in the elections have not been determined.”

Egypt is an overwhelmingly Sunni country. Rivalry between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran has been intensified by the Arab Spring revolts, particularly in Syria and Bahrain.

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was long considered a staunch ally of the West, who viewed him as a stabilising force in the Middle East, largely because of his policy of pursuing peace with Israel. But many Egyptians accuse Western powers of turning a blind eye to the human rights abuses, corruption and lack of democratic reforms of the Mubarak regime.

While Mr Morsi has said he plans to respect the Camp David peace agreement with Israel, he has also warned he will review the terms if Israel does not respect its side of the deal.

State TV showed footage of Mr Morsi yesterday meeting the ruling military council headed by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who was Mubarak’s defence minister for 20 years. Field Marshal Tantawi was quoted as saying the military will “stand by the elected, legitimate president and will co-operate with him for the stability of the country”.

The Arab Spring has reshaped the regional political landscape of the Middle East, obliging Western leaders to build relationships of trust with the new actors on the political stage.

British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday sent a letter of congratulations to Mr Morsi, welcoming the arrival of democracy in Egypt.

However, the victory of a conservative Islamic leader from a once-banned shadowy group has alarmed some Egyptians. Many secular liberals and Coptic Christians are concerned that Mr Morsi, who has called for sharia law in Egypt, will turn the country into a harsh Islamic state. The Brotherhood has been keen to play down such fears, presenting a more moderate face.

Crucially, Mr Morsi has also promised to form a unity government. Yesterday he toured the presidential palace where he will take office and began consultations about the make-up of his new cabinet.

His electoral win has been overshadowed by a recent military power grab. The ruling generals dissolved Egypt’s newly elected Islamist-heavy parliament and reinstated martial law, as well as issuing a constitutional declaration that strips the president of many of his powers.

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square have vowed to continue their demonstrations to ensure the president’s powers are at least partially restored.