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Iran Creates False Hope for Renewed Relations With Egypt

Iran's semi-official news agency has quoted Mohamed Morsi as saying he will welcome improved relations with "all Islamic countries in the world including Iran," writes Meir Javedanfar. But Iran's Shiite government shouldn't be so quick to declare camaraderie with the new Sunni leader, who has blatanly distanced himself from Iran in the past.
A demonstrator holds a crossed out poster depicting Iran's late leader Ayatollah Khomeini during a protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, near the Syrian embassy in Cairo February 17, 2012. The Arab writings on the poster read "God protects the Muslims in Syria. Khomeini is the enemy of God."    REUTER/Mohammed Salem (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)

The election of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi as the new president of Egypt was welcomed by the semi-official FARS news agency in Iran.

FARS news, which is believed to be close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, was optimistic that, based on what it says are Morsi’s previously stated foreign policy positions, he will be dedicated to “the resumption of Egypt’s diplomatic and strategic relations with all Islamic countries in the world including Iran.” FARS also quoted Morsi as having said that during Mubarak’s reign, Egypt’s relations were based on the interests of Israel and the United States and that he would reconsider all such relations. 

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