Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi held a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Saturday, discussing recent developments in the Gaza Strip and the prospect of restoring diplomatic relations between Tehran and Cairo.

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: In the first phone call between the two heads of state in more than four decades, Rayeesi congratulated el-Sisi for winning his third presidential term, and expressed hope for the resolution of existing issues between Iran and Egypt and the restoration of diplomatic ties.
Iran’s president said Tehran welcomes the enhancement of relations with Cairo in various fields.
Iran and Egypt cut diplomatic ties in 1980 after Cairo admitted the former Shah of Iran and recognized Israel. In recent years, Iran has announced readiness to mend relations with Egypt by settling differences on certain issues.
Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that President Rayeesi's foreign policy places a premium on enhancing ties with Muslim nations and regional countries. They say Tehran welcomes patching up with Cairo. Rayeesi and el-Sisi met in November for the first time on the sidelines of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh.
During the conversation, El-Sisi highlighted the role that Cairo and Tehran can play in the establishment of security and stability in the region.
He also expressed Egypt’s readiness to take practical steps to address the existing differences between the two countries./Fars news