Egypt's Islamist President-Elect Wants to Restore Ties to Iran, 'Revise' Peace Deal With Israel

Egypt's Islamist Presidential-elect Mohamed Morsi says he wants to restore ties to Iran in order to "create a strategic balance" in the Middle East. He will also "reconsider" the country's peace deal with Israel, according to an interview published by Iran's Fars News Agency on Monday.

"We must restore normal relations with Iran based on shared interests, and expand areas of political coordination and economic cooperation because this will create a balance of pressure in the region," Morsi said, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Egypt and Iran severed diplomatic ties in 1980, roughly a year after Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel. And now after roughly three decades of peace, Israel is in trouble of gaining yet another hostile Islamic enemy in the region.

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"Part of my agenda is the development of ties between Iran and Egypt that will create a strategic balance in the region," Morsi was quoted as saying.

AFP has more:

"We will reconsider the Camp David Accord" that, in 1979, forged a peace between Egypt and Israel that has held for more than three decades, Morsi was quoted as telling a Fars reporter in Cairo on Sunday, just before his election triumph was announced.

He said the issue of Palestinian refugees returning to homes their families abandoned in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the 1967 Six-Day War "is very important".

Morsi added though that "all these issues will be carried out through cabinet and governmental bodies because I will not take any decision on my own."

"Our policy towards Israel will be a policy based on equality since we are not weaker than them in any field and we will discuss the issue of the Palestinians' rights with the related sides since this is highly important," Mursi told the Fars News Agency Sunday, just hours prior to being announced the winner of the presidential election

"We will revise the Camp David treaty," he added.

Morsi was declared on Sunday the winner of Egypt's first free presidential election in its modern history, following a tight race with Mubarak's last Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.

The campaign had deeply polarized the country, pitting a former regime official and former military man- feared to be a continuation of Mubarak's autocratic rule but viewed by some as an agent of stability- against an Islamist.

On Sunday, President Barack Obama telephoned the U.S.-educated Morsi to congratulate him on his victory and offer continued support for Egypt's transition to democracy. The White House said Morsi expressed appreciation for Obama's call and "welcomed U.S. support for Egypt's transition."

Ali said the 60-year-old Morsi arrived at the presidential office on Monday for official meetings and consultations. He said his priority is to form a working presidential team until he finishes consultation over nominating vice presidents.

"His priority is the stability on the political scene," said Yasser Ali, a spokesman for Morsi's presidential campaign.

Iran has also adamantly supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brutal regime, which is still battling a revolt that has spilled into the streets of Syria.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.