Diplomacy Iranian foreign minister travels to Egypt for the first time since 2013

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has traveled to Egypt, according to reports in Iranian state media. Araqchi arrived in Cairo after holding talks in Amman with Jordan's King Abdullah II and the country's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

It is the first visit by an Iranian foreign minister to Egypt since 2013. Araqchi has already visited Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Oman in the past week. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, he spoke with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday. After his visit to Egypt, he will travel on to Turkey.

Araqchi's diplomatic efforts come after the Iranian attack on Israel on October 1. Since then, the region has been waiting for an Israeli counter-attack. Iran had threatened renewed attacks in such a case.

Egypt's president appoints new secret chief

Egypt, together with the USA and Qatar, has been trying for months to mediate in the indirect negotiations between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas in order to reach an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, according to media reports, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has appointed a new head of intelligence. Hassan Rashad will take over the influential post of al-Sisi's long-time ally Abbas Kamel.

Kamel will instead become advisor and envoy to the president as well as coordinator of the security services, reported the state-affiliated broadcaster Extra News. Rashad was previously Kamel's deputy. Kamel has so far played an important role in the negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.