By AP, JPOST.COM STAFFlarijani mubarak cairo 248 88 ap(photo credit: AP)
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday defended his country's support for Hamas, during a high-profile visit to Cairo.
Larijani told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Teheran is proud of its "moral" support for Hamas. He also denied that Iran is undermining Egypt's efforts to reconcile between Hamas and Fatah.
The Iranian official called his meeting with Mubarak "constructive," and noted that Iran and Egypt shared a "positive vision on bilateral relations," according to Iranian Press TV.
Larijani was in Cairo to take part in a committee meeting for the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), which includes Iran, Turkey, Kuwait, Niger, Azerbaijan, Uganda, and Egypt.
The two men met for nearly two hours on Sunday. Such meetings are rare since the countries severed diplomatic ties in 1979.
Although Iran has been looking to improve relations, Egypt accuses Teheran of meddling in Arab conflicts, and has urged the Islamic republic to end its support for Hamas.
