Beirut - Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini on Tuesday said he is optimist about future of Iran's cultural ties with Egypt.
He was speaking to IRNA in Lebanon where he inaugurated Iran's cultural week in Beirut.
He expressed hope Iran would have a more active cultural presence in Egypt especially after victory of an Islamist candicate in the presidential election in that country.
Hosseini said Iran considers Egypt as a country with great culture and history and therefore Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance does its utmost to seek any opportunity to establish cultural ties with Egypt concurrently with the Iranain Foreign Ministry's efforts to reestablish diplomatic relations with the north African country.
Pointing to his ministry's readiness to welcome Egyptians in Iran, he said Egyptians can participate in Tehran's international book fair.
The culture minister expressed regret over Egyptian side's hesitation to prepare the grounds for presence of Iranian artists and elites in that country and said Iran and Egypt can have extensive cultural cooperation once they resume diplomatic relations.
© IRNA 2012
