Oman's Sultan Haitham in Egypt for talks with President El Sisi

The two leaders reviewed bilateral and regional issues

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq shakes hands with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo. Reuters

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reviewed bilateral relations and regional issues in talks in Cairo on Sunday.

The Omani ruler arrived in Cairo on his first visit to Egypt since ascending to the throne three years ago. President El Sisi visited Muscat in June.

The two-day visit to Egypt is expected to result in several agreements in the economic, trade and military fields.

Egypt and Oman are bound by decades of close ties. Oman was one of only three Arab countries that did not sever diplomatic ties with Egypt when the latter signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.

A longtime friend of Iran's and an experienced mediator, Oman is believed to be playing a behind-the-scenes role in on-and-off, low-level negotiations between Egypt and Iran to normalise their relations.

Those ties have been fraught with tension since the late Shah of Iran took refuge in Egypt after the Islamic Revolution that deposed him.

Intelligence officials from Egypt and Iran met in Baghdad recently in the latest round of talks to normalise relations. Egyptian officials say Cairo may be nearing an agreement with Tehran for both countries to upgrade their diplomatic representation to ambassadorial level.

"The talks saw the exchange of views on regional and international issues in the framework of the regular co-ordination and consultation between the two nations and their endeavours to realise regional stability and security," a statement said.