Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to attend the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation summit in Egypt on Thursday, marking the first visit by an Iranian president to Egypt in over a decade. This visit, announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, comes amid growing diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries, which have been historically strained.
The D-8 summit will bring together leaders from eight member countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye, and host nation Egypt. Established in 1997, the D-8 aims to foster economic cooperation and development across regions from Southeast Asia to Africa.
Although Egypt and Iran have had tense relations for years, their diplomatic exchanges have increased in recent months. This shift has been driven in part by Egypt’s efforts to mediate in the Gaza crisis last year. In a sign of warming ties, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Egypt in October for discussions on regional issues, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attended Pezeshkian’s inauguration in Tehran earlier this year.
Baghaei confirmed that Iran’s foreign minister will attend the ministerial meetings prior to the summit, followed by President Pezeshkian’s participation in high-level discussions on regional and bilateral matters with other D-8 members.
The summit, which provides an opportunity for deepening regional partnerships, will focus on critical issues including economic collaboration and geopolitical developments, with a particular emphasis on the current challenges facing member states.