Iran says to hold new round of political consultations with Egypt

TEHRAN -- Iran and Egypt have agreed to hold a fresh round of bilateral political consultations soon, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday.

Speaking at his weekly press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said the agreement was reached during a phone call on Saturday between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. He did not specify when or where the consultation took place.

The conversation centred on bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East, Baghaei said, calling the decision to resume political consultations "an important development."

Both ministers voiced concern over Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, which they said continued despite ceasefire agreements with the Palestinian group Hamas and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, according to Baghaei and a statement from Iran's Foreign Ministry.

The Iranian statement accused Israel of "ongoing aggression and repeated violations of the cease-fires" and urged the international community to act immediately to stop the Israeli military operations.

Iran's nuclear program was also discussed, with Tehran restating its established positions, the statement said. In a separate readout, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Abdelatty had called for the resumption of negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement on Iran's nuclear programme that takes into account the interests of all parties and enhances regional security and stability.

Abdelatty made the same appeal during a phone call on Friday with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, the Egyptian statement added.

Iran and Egypt severed diplomatic relations in 1980 after Iran's Islamic Revolution and Egypt's peace treaty with Israel the previous year. In recent years, both sides have signalled willingness to improve ties.