Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi refused the Iranian regime’s invitation to take part in the Non-aligned Movement’s conference and added he will not go to Tehran, the state-run Asr-e Iran daily reported.
Al-Hayat daily cited sources close to the Egyptian president’s office and wrote: “Egyptian President Mahmoud Mursi decided to not participate in the session of the leaders of the Non-aligned Movement in Tehran.”
According to these sources, it is possible Mursi will send his top diplomat to take part in this session. Two weeks ago Ahmadinejad announced he had invited Mursi through a phone call to take part in this conference and he was to send a deputy to Cairo to deliver Mursi’s written invitation in person.
It is worth noting Egypt is now the rotating president of the Non-aligned Movement and based on diplomatic customs the president himself must take part in the session to transfer the presidency to the next country. However, for the first time and due to the mullahs’ widespread international isolation, the Egyptian president is refraining to travelling to Tehran.