Iran invites Mubarak to 8-nation summit

Iran and Egypt cut full diplomatic ties after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Tehran and after Iran denounced Egypt for its rapprochement with Israel. The two countries now only keep representative offices in Tehran and Cairo. "Iran has invited Mubarak to attend a meeting of Islamic countries in Tehran in February," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters, but said there was no immediate reply to the invitation.

Iran's President Mohammad Khatami and Mubarak, their countries long divided over how to deal with Israel, held landmark talks in Geneva on Wednesday.

Asked if there were any plans for Mubarak to travel to Iran, Egyptian presidential political adviser Osama el-Baz said in Cairo: "None of this has been discussed or planned."

Asked when diplomatic ties might be restored, Baz said: "Neither side is impatient or in a hurry. We let things move normally."

But he said Egypt and Iran historically had good relations and they were now improving after an interruption.

Iran will host a Feb. 19 summit of eight Muslim countries, including Egypt and Iran, with the aim of more economic cooperation.

Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Cairo also hosted Iran's deposed Shah in exile after the 1979 revolution.