Egypt and Iran have been holding talks in Iraq’s capital Baghdad since March to discuss normalising relations between the two regional powerhouses, Egyptian and Iraqi officials told The National.
The latest round of discussions began at the weekend, Egyptian officials said, although it is not clear how much progress has been made so far.
The talks have also touched on reducing tension in places where Iran wields significant influence, such as Yemen, Lebanon and Syria, by supporting allied governments or armed groups, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations have not been made public.
The two sides are also exploring the possibility of a meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi, they said.
The talks in Baghdad appear to be part of a continuing regional realignment in which Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to restore diplomatic relations severed in 2016.
Egypt and Turkey, at odds for a decade, have also been working to normalise relations.
The eight-year war in Yemen, where Iran backs the Houthis against the internationally recognised government supported by a Saudi-led military coalition, has significantly quietened down amid diplomatic moves to end the conflict.
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