IRI Speaker: IRI, Egypt determined to boost ties

Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said on Tuesday that IRI and Egyptian officials are determined to bring the two nations closer to each other and help boost bilateral ties.

In a meeting with Sheikh Muhammed Saeed Tantawi, the grand sheikh of al-Azhar, he said al-Azhar can link Iran's scientific circles to those of the world.

Haddad-Adel noted, "The 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran paved the way for consolidation of ties between the Iranian nation and all world Muslims, particularly the great Egyptian nation."

Expressing his satisfaction with establishment of ties between al-Azhar and Iran's scientific centers, he called for exchange of teaching staff, students and text books.

He said that Iran and Egypt can play a key role in removing discord in the Muslim world.

Sheikh Tantawi called for unity of all Muslims saying that minor differences of various Islamic sects must not turn to obstacles in the way of promotion of unity of Islamic nations.

The Iranian Speaker and his entourage arrived in Cairo Tuesday to attend a biennial interparliamentary meeting of the Islamic countries.

The Speaker's three-day visit to Egypt is taking place at the official invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Fathi Sorour.

Haddad-Adel's visit to Egypt is part of his two-nation tour which will also take him to Sudan.