Latest news with #AlAzharMosque
The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Egypt and Iran forge unlikely alliance in changing political landscape
Quietly and rapidly, Egypt and Iran are forging an alliance with the potential to redefine the Middle East's geopolitical map. The surprise friendship is placing the two powerhouses in a position to stymie Israel's pursuit of domination in an increasingly violent region, sources have told The National. It's an unlikely partnership on many levels. Until recently, Egypt had routinely condemned what it viewed as Iran's meddling in the affairs of its Arab neighbours, as well as its support for proxies such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, Shiite militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen, which Cairo sees as dangerous. The two countries have emerged from decades of fraught relations and, at times, outright enmity that date back to the 1979 Islamic revolution and the refuge Cairo afforded the Shah of Iran when he fled. The alliance has transcended the religious persuasion of the two nations, with Iran being the world's largest Shiite nation, and a history of evangelistic activity in the region. In contrast, Egypt is predominantly Sunni and home to the 1,000-year-old Al Azhar Mosque, the world's foremost seat of Islamic learning. The association is also fraught with peril. Egypt is a close ally of the US, Iran's nemesis, receiving billions of dollars in economic and military aid from Washington over the past 50 years that it can ill afford to lose. It also has a US-sponsored 1979 peace treaty with Israel, which regards the clergy-led regime in Tehran as an existential threat. The dangers are more foreboding considering that the Cairo-Tehran alliance comes at a time when Egypt's relations with Israel are at their lowest ebb in decades over the Gaza war, with officials in both countries occasionally adopting sabre-rattling rhetoric. Cairo's relations with Washington have also been tense in recent months, again over Gaza. The regional sources said a significant component of the Cairo-Tehran alliance is Egypt's wish to stop what it sees as Israel's bid to dominate the region through its military might and the virtually unconditional support it receives from the US. Diplomacy to bridge gap Egypt's opposition to Israel's perceived goal is a matter of public record in a country that has, in recent days, taken to calling its war in Gaza genocidal. 'It's not acceptable to allow any single party to dominate the region or to engineer what is called the restructuring of the region,' said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. 'We are quite capable of imposing our view within the regional and Arab frameworks and will not allow any single party to impose its will on the area,' he said in a thinly veiled reference to Israel. It is towards this end that Egypt had sought to use diplomacy to bridge the gap between Iran and the US during weeks of fruitless negotiations that preceded the Israel-Iran war in June. During those Oman-mediated negotiations, Mr Abdelatty frequently spoke on the telephone to his Iranian and Omani counterparts, as well as the US chief negotiator, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Official Egyptian statements at the time spoke of Egypt's efforts to defuse the tension and spare the region a destructive conflict. Separately, Egypt has been engaged in intense talks with the Iranians and Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA – the UN's nuclear oversight agency – since the end of the 12-day war with Israel, the sources said. Those contacts, they said, were designed to promote a peaceful settlement of the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme and to find a mechanism to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons. Mr Abdelatty has also frequently cited Israel's refusal to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a major contribution to tension in the region, while emphasising the freedom of every nation in the area to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Newly minted alliance Mr Abdelatty has held talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, in person or by phone, at least a dozen times this summer, an unusually large number over a relatively short time given the rapprochement between the two nations is so recent. 'Egypt wants Iran to stay strong and united as a deterrent to Israel's expansionist designs,' said one of the sources. 'It does not want it to be subjected again to strikes by Israel and the US that could cause the country to come unhinged.' During a visit to Egypt in June, Mr Araghchi visited Cairo's medieval district and joined three former Egyptian foreign ministers for dinner at a restaurant in the Khan El Khalili bazaar, activities rarely allowed by Egyptian authorities and tolerated only when hosting a special guest. 'We constantly consult with Egypt and we have a wish for these consultations to continue,' Mr Araghchi said. 'Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Egypt are close and are founded on mutual respect.' Egypt's objectives in this newly minted alliance reach beyond the nuclear file, said the sources. The most populous Arab nation with 107 million people, Egypt is looking to the day when a sanctions-free Iran would potentially be a reliable source of oil and gas to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population, the sources added. Egypt is also eyeing the large Iranian market for at least two million pilgrims annually to visit religious sites housing the tombs of members of the Prophet Mohammed's family, along with those of revered saints, they said. Farther afield, Egypt is also looking to Iran to continue to counter Israel's growing influence in Africa, parts of which are seen by Cairo as an extension of its national security sphere, they added. Militarily, Egypt stands to benefit from Iran's drone technology, a field in which Iran has excelled to a degree that has reportedly allowed it to supply the weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, according to the sources. But despite the potential benefits Egypt hopes to gain from its close relations with Iran, it has to tread carefully. One concern is that Egypt must ensure relations with Iran bring about improved ties between Tehran and its Arab neighbours in the Gulf.
The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Fears over unlikely Egypt-Iran alliance in changing political landscape
Quietly and rapidly, Egypt and Iran are forging an alliance with the potential to redefine the Middle East's geopolitical map. The surprise friendship is placing the two powerhouses in a position to stymie Israel's pursuit of domination in an increasingly violent region, sources have told The National. It's an unlikely partnership on many levels. Until recently, Egypt had routinely condemned what it viewed as Iran's meddling in the affairs of its Arab neighbours, as well as its support for proxies such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, Shiite militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen, which Cairo sees as dangerous. The two countries have emerged from decades of fraught relations and, at times, outright enmity that date back to the 1979 Islamic revolution and the refuge Cairo afforded the Shah of Iran when he fled. The alliance has transcended the religious persuasion of the two nations, with Iran being the world's largest Shiite nation, and a history of evangelistic activity in the region. In contrast, Egypt is predominantly Sunni and home to the 1,000-year-old Al Azhar Mosque, the world's foremost seat of Islamic learning. The association is also fraught with peril. Egypt is a close ally of the US, Iran's nemesis, receiving billions of dollars in economic and military aid from Washington over the past 50 years that it can ill afford to lose. It also has a US-sponsored 1979 peace treaty with Israel in place, which regards the clergy-led regime in Tehran as an existential threat. The dangers are more foreboding considering that the Cairo-Tehran alliance comes at a time when Egypt's relations with Israel are at their lowest ebb in decades over the Gaza war, with officials in both countries occasionally adopting sabre-rattling rhetoric. Cairo's relations with Washington have also been tense in recent months, again over Gaza. The regional sources said a significant component of the Cairo-Tehran alliance is Egypt's wish to stop what it sees as Israel's bid to dominate the region through its military might and the virtually unconditional support it receives from the US. Diplomacy to bridge gap Egypt's opposition to Israel's perceived goal is a matter of public record in a country that has, in recent days, taken to calling its war in Gaza genocidal. 'It's not acceptable to allow any single party to dominate the region or to engineer what is called the restructuring of the region,' said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. 'We are quite capable of imposing our view within the regional and Arab frameworks and will not allow any single party to impose its will on the area,' he said in a thinly veiled reference to Israel. It is towards this end that Egypt had sought to use diplomacy to bridge the gap between Iran and the US during weeks of fruitless negotiations that preceded the Israel-Iran war in June. During those Oman-mediated negotiations, Mr Abdelatty frequently spoke on the telephone to his Iranian and Omani counterparts, as well as the US chief negotiator, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Official Egyptian statements at the time spoke of Egypt's efforts to defuse the tension and spare the region a destructive conflict. Separately, Egypt has been engaged in intense talks with the Iranians and Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA – the UN's nuclear oversight agency – since the end of the 12-day war with Israel, the sources said. Those contacts, they said, were designed to promote a peaceful settlement of the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme and to find a mechanism to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons. Mr Abdelatty has also frequently cited Israel's refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation agreement as a major contribution to tension in the region, while emphasising the freedom of every nation in the area to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Newly minted alliance Mr Abdelatty has held talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, in person or by phone, at least a dozen times this summer, an unusually large number over a relatively short time given the rapprochement between the two nations is so recent. 'Egypt wants Iran to stay strong and united as a deterrent to Israel's expansionist designs,' said one of the sources. 'It does not want it to be subjected again to strikes by Israel and the US that could cause the country to come unhinged.' During a visit to Egypt in June, Mr Araghchi visited Cairo's medieval district and joined three former Egyptian foreign ministers for dinner at a restaurant in the Khan El Khalili bazaar, activities rarely allowed by Egyptian authorities and tolerated only when hosting a special guest. 'We constantly consult with Egypt and we have a wish for these consultations to continue,' Mr Araghchi said. 'Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Egypt are close and are founded on mutual respect.' Egypt's objectives in this newly minted alliance reach beyond the nuclear file, said the sources. The most populous Arab nation with 107 million people, Egypt is looking to the day when a sanctions-free Iran would potentially be a reliable source of oil and gas to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population, the sources added. Egypt is also eyeing the large Iranian market for at least two million pilgrims annually to visit religious sites housing the tombs of members of the Prophet Mohammed's family, along with those of revered saints, they said. Further afield, Egypt is also looking to Iran to continue to counter Israel's growing influence in Africa, parts of which are seen by Cairo as an extension of its national security sphere, they added. Militarily, Egypt stands to benefit from Iran's drone technology, a field in which Iran has excelled to a degree that has reportedly allowed it to supply the weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, according to the sources. But despite the potential benefits Egypt hopes to gain from its close relations with Iran, it has to tread carefully. One concern is that Egypt must ensure relations with Iran bring about improved ties between Tehran and its Arab neighbours in the Gulf. Another is that Cairo should never be seen to be involved in any attempt by Iran to develop nuclear weapons – which Tehran denies it intends to – or to develop an atomic energy programme outside the oversight of the IAEA.
See - Sada Elbalad
06-06-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egyptians Perform Eid Al Adha Prayers
Basant Ahmed Egyptians performed this morning the Eid Al-Adha prayers, also known as Salat al-Eid, the special prayer offered to commemorate the two Islamic festivals. In Cairo, the main places known to gather few thousands of people in this occasion is the wide area in front of Mostafa Mahmoud mosque in Mohandessen neighborhood, Al Azhar Mosque and A'mr ibn Al-A'as mosque. Egypt's Dar Al Ifta has announced that Friday, June 6 will mark the 1st day of Eid al Adha. On this occasion, the Egyptian Dar Al Ifta congratulated the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the Arab world's leaders, wishing the Islamic world all the blessings and peace. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
The Herald
07-05-2025
- The Herald
Mayor Hill-Lewis condemns bomb threat against Cape Town mosque
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said on Wednesday his office had been in contact with the police to investigate a case of intimidation related to a bomb threat message received via cellphone against the Al-Azhar Mosque in District Six. ' I condemn the sinister motives behind this threatening message. Cape Town is a city of peace-loving people, where differences of faith and opinion are expressed loudly and fully, but always peacefully,' said Hill-Lewis. 'Our city has a long and proud history of being a safe city for people of all religions to live [in] and express their faith and traditions. For generations, Capetonians of every faith and creed have lived side-by-side and always show kindness, unity and generosity towards one another. Let us all commit to protecting and defending the best of that history.' Police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said the incident occurred on May 4 and no arrests had been made. MMC for safety and security JP Smith said the city was supporting the investigation at the request of the police, which includes its safety and security investigative unit (SSIU). 'I have further referred this incident to disaster risk management (DRM) and the SSIU in terms of our joint safer places of worship project,' said Smith. Hill-Lewis added this was the second such incident, after an explosive device was thrown over the front wall of the Jewish Community Centre on Hatfield Street in the CBD in December 2024. 'We call on the police to prioritise these investigations to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,' he said. TimesLIVE
The National
28-03-2025
- Politics
- The National
President Sheikh Mohamed exchanges Eid Al Fitr greetings with leaders of neighbouring nations
President Sheikh Mohamed sent Eid Al Fitr greetings over the phone to leaders of countries close to the UAE. Sheikh Mohamed and the other leaders prayed for peace, stability, and further progress to Arab and Islamic worlds, and all nations, state news agency Wam reported. The leaders also exchanged heartfelt wishes for good health, happiness, and continued prosperity for their people. Calls were made between Sheikh Mohamed and the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal; Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim; King Hamad of Bahrain; King Abdullah II of Jordan and Dr Ahmed El Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Mosque and University.
