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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Iran President Ahmadinejad begins historic Egypt visit | Iran President Ahmadinejad begins historic Egypt visit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since the Islamic revolution in 1979. | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since the Islamic revolution in 1979. |
| He was greeted on arrival at Cairo International Airport by his Egyptian counterpart, Mohammed Morsi. | He was greeted on arrival at Cairo International Airport by his Egyptian counterpart, Mohammed Morsi. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad is to attend a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), which begins on Wednesday, and meet Egyptian officials. | Mr Ahmadinejad is to attend a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), which begins on Wednesday, and meet Egyptian officials. |
| Relations between the regional powers have improved since Egyptians elected an Islamist head of state in June. | |
| However, they remain at odds over several issues, including Syria, which was suspended from the OIC at its last summit despite Iranian objections. | |
| 'Pave the ground' | |
| "I will try to pave the ground for developing co-operation between Iran and Egypt," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by Iran's state news agency, Irna, before leaving Tehran. | "I will try to pave the ground for developing co-operation between Iran and Egypt," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by Iran's state news agency, Irna, before leaving Tehran. |
| "If Tehran and Cairo see more eye-to-eye on regional and international issues, many [issues] will change," he added. | |
| Diplomatic ties broke down in 1980 after Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel and gave asylum and a state funeral to Iran's exiled Shah Reza Pahlavi. In 1981, Iran named a street in Tehran after the assassin of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, though it was renamed 20 years later. | |
| Mr Ahmadinejad's visit follows one to Tehran by Mr Morsi in August, when the two leaders agreed to reopen embassies. | |
| As the most populous Arab country and a historic regional heavyweight, in the past, Egypt, a predominantly Sunni Muslim power, has seen itself as a political rival of Shia Iran, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo. | |
| Some analysts have expressed concern over the apparent decision of the new Islamist leader to reconnect with Iran, our correspondent adds. | |
| They note that Tehran hailed Egypt's uprising two years ago, which forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign, as an "Islamic awakening". | |
| President Morsi is hosting the OIC summit following days of nationwide protests by opposition supporters in which nearly 60 people have died. |