Iranian Civil Aviation: No restrictions on direct flights with Egypt

The head of the Civil Aviation Organization, Mohammad Mohammadi Bakhsh, confirmed on Wednesday that his country is ready to operate direct flights with Egypt.

"The Iranian air fleet is ready to operate direct flights between Egypt and Iran after the Iranian Foreign Ministry makes the necessary preparations for that," Bakhsh said.

"There are no restrictions on the operation of flights between Iran and Egypt and vice versa, and the Iranian air fleet is ready to operate flights to Cairo," he said.

"According to the demand for travel to Egypt, Iranian airlines will apply for permission to operate flights to Cairo," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said this month that there are direct and official channels of communication between Iran and Egypt, expressing hope for a serious opening in relations between the two countries.

Abdollahian added: "There is activity of interest care offices in Tehran and Cairo, and there is an official channel for direct communication between the two countries," according to an interview with the official IRNA news agency.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in an interview with MBC Egypt's "Yahduth fi Masr" program that "what was reported in the media about the existence of an Egyptian-Iranian path seems like speculation and has no basis."

He added that "relations between Egypt and Iran continue as they are, and we monitor the developments that occur within the framework of Iran's relations with the Gulf countries and the policies expressed by Iran," adding: "When there is an interest in changing the approach, we will always resort to achieving the interest."

Relations between Cairo and Tehran have been strained since the start of the Iranian revolution in 1979, when the late Egyptian President Mohamed Anwar Sadat accepted to host the Shah of Iran, Reza Shah Pahlavi, in Egypt, despite Tehran's request not to receive him.