Iran’s aspirations contradict with Arab interests: expert

CAIRO – 10 November 2017: Iran is not a weak country; however its influence exists in many regional countries,” said political expert at Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Hassan Abu Taleb on Friday.

Abu Taleb told Egypt Today that any upcoming war would definitely causes a great mess in the region entirely because of the Iranian expanding influence.

“President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi asserted that the region does not bear more chaos and suffering, but this does not mean Egypt agrees with the Iranian policies,” Abu Taleb added.

He stressed that the Egyptian foreign policy adopts the strategy of political settlements and dialogue to solve all crises with respect to other countries’ domestic affairs and the neighbors’ rights.

Abu Taleb manifested that Egypt realizes the Iranian’s regional aspirations which contradict the Arab interests, adding that “Sisi was clear when he confirmed the security of the Gulf States is attached to the security of the Egyptian territory.”

Lebanese Prime Minister, Saad al-Hariri, unexpectedly declared his resignation in a pre-recorded message on November 4, during his visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Hariri said in the televised speech that he feared for his life and accused Iran and its proxies of destabilizing his country and the region. Hariri served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2011 and took office again in 2016.

Responding to one of the reporters' questions, during his meeting with media representatives on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum (WYF) Wednesday regarding the possibility of targeting Tehran with military strikes, he affirmed that he is against the option of war.

“We should be careful while dealing with any diplomatic problem within the region including Iran and Hezbollah. We do not need more troubles in the Middle East region; what has already happened is enough,” Sisi said.

Sisi also noted that Egypt’s security and stability are linked to those of the Gulf. “We stand with our brotherly countries in the Gulf,” he added.

Iran’s relations with several countries in the Middle East including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE are severely tense. Tehran has been described by several governments as the major player regarding financing and supporting terrorism, aiming to destabilize the whole region especially that it has nuclear ambitions.

One of the main demands in the reconciliation list issued by the Arab Quartet to Qatar’s government was to cut all of its relations with Tehran.

During his interview with France 24 in October, President Sisi said that Egypt’s relations with Iran have been cut for nearly 40 years; however “we are keen on easing the current tension in the region,” Sisi added.