Iranian diplomat accused of spying leaves Egypt

2011-05-30 23:00:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO, EGYPT (BNO NEWS) -- An Iranian diplomat, who was accused of spying, on Monday was deported from Egypt and left to the United Arab Emirates, the Ahram newspaper reported.

Sayed Qassem El-Husseiny departed on early Monday to Dubai after facing accusations of spying activities and gathering political, economic and military information about Egypt and other neighboring countries.

Egyptian authorities arrested the Iranian diplomat during the popular uprisings against ousted President Hosni Mubarak. He was freed on Sunday after his diplomatic status was confirmed.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry informed that Husseiny was in fact an Iranian diplomat but violated diplomatic cooperation control after discovering he was gathering information on the uprisings with the intention of harming the interests of Egypt.

An investigation was launched and state security prosecutor Taher El-Kholy said Husseiny was indeed sending information to Iranian intelligence in regards to the anti-government demonstrations.

Husseiny was also allegedly trying to recruit agents to work in Arab Gulf countries. Before his deportation, ordered by state prosecutor El-Kholy, he worked at the Iranian Affairs Office in Cairo.

Egyptian authorities said that Iran should have requested the information through official channels. Egypt and Iran do not have full diplomatic relations but the two nations have a diplomatic mission in each one's capital city.

The incident could further harm the Egypt-Iran relationship which has been severed after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution and the Egypt-Israel peace treaty signed that same year.

Relations have remained below the full ambassadorial level despite many attempts by the United Nations Security Council. In the last 5 years, the two nations have been trading accusations in regards to interference in the other country's internal affairs.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday that the whole issue was a "misunderstanding that was overcome." He added that Husseiny had resumed his labors which contradicted the information given by Egyptian authorities.

"The government and great nation of Egypt want to strengthen their diplomatic ties with Iran as soon as possible," said Salehi. "The improvement of Tehran-Cairo relations needs patience."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-30

Iran interfering or spying on another country??? i am shocked

Iran would never interfere in affairs of other country, unless its Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Bahrain, Iraq, and few others.