Iran’s Ahmadinejad on landmark visit in Cairo

CAIRO: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Cairo, the first visit by an Iranian leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi welcomed Ahmadinejad at the Cairo International airport on Tuesday.

Ahmadinejad is to attend the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Cairo, which starts Wednesday.

The leader of Shiite Iran is also scheduled to meet with the head of Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s premier Islamic institution.

Security officials say Ahmadinejad is also going to tour the pyramids in Giza. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release the information.

Egypt and Iran, two regional heavyweights, saw their relations deteriorate after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel.

Relations improved after Egypt’s 2011 uprising.