President Hosni Mubarak received on Saturday November 19 Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuchehr Motaki and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Ahmed –Gheit.

The Iranian Minister told reporters following the meeting that he came to Cairo to attend the preparatory meeting of a national reconciliation conference and it was a good opportunity to meet with President Mubarak.

He pointed out that his meeting with the President covered bilateral relations, the latest developments in Iraq and a number of other regional issues.

The two sides asserted the importance of the political process in Iraq, the formation of the government.

He underlined the necessity that all Iraqis should take part in determining the fate of their country.

The Iranian Minister said talks with President Mubarak covered the repercussions of the assassination of former Lebanese Minister Rafiq Al Hariri.

Egypt and Iran asserted the need that the dossier should be handled within a legal framework, away from politicization, Motaki said, pointing out to the leverage both Egypt and Iran have in the region in terms of their abilities to resolve regional problems.

The two sides agreed to continue consultations, he said, adding that he had conveyed to President Mubarak Tehran's view, shared with Cairo, on rendering the Middle East an area free of weapons of mass destruction.

The Iranian official said he posted President Mubarak on his country's peaceful nuclear activities and thanked him for Egypt's stance in this regard, asserting the need to realize comprehensive international cooperation to eliminate weapons of destruction, but at the same time be allowed to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

The Iranian Minister said the Shiite file is a matter that concerns the Iraqi people alone, pointing out that Egypt, Iran and the other neighborring states asserted that all Iraqi groups should participate in determining the fate of their homeland.

As for relations between Egypt and Iran, he noted constant meetings between the two sides, expecting such meetings to continue.

Regarding fears of Iran's interference in the Iraqi Shiite file, he said Iran perceives the Iraqis as one people and Iran wishes to take part in settling Iraq's problems in cooperation with other countries in the region.

The Iraqis have no other choice but either to continue with the ongoing political process or to give way to terror and occupation to continue, affirming that his country supported the political process option, referring to the sanctioning of the Iraqi constitution and the elections being round the corner.