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 CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt summoned a senior Iranian diplomat in Cairo on Monday over an Iranian film on the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, an Egyptian foreign ministry official and state media said.
Egypt's state news agency MENA said Cairo called in the head of the Iranian interests office in Cairo over the film, which upset Egyptian sensibilities. But MENA gave few details of the film's content. Mainly Sunni Muslim Egypt and Shi'ite Iran have not had full diplomatic relations since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Iran cut ties after Sadat hosted the deposed pro-Western Shah in Cairo. Iran said in January it was close to restoring full diplomatic relations with Egypt, but Egyptian officials have been more cautious. The Iranian film on the assassination of Sadat, the Egyptian leader who made peace with Israel, would hurt improving ties between the countries, MENA reported. "This film will affect any positive development on Egyptian-Iranian relations", MENA said. Cairo has said a Tehran street named after Sadat's assassin should be changed and murals in the Iranian capital of the assassin removed. Some security issues also need to be resolved, Egyptian officials have said. Egypt and Iran maintain interests sections in Tehran and Cairo and their ministers interact at international gatherings, but their senior officials do not often exchange visits. (Writing by Cynthia Johnston) |
