Director of the Iranian-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce Sabah Zangana has dismissed Egyptian fears that a spike in tourism collaboration would lead to a spread in Shi'ite influence in Sunni-majority Egypt.
In a visit to Egypt, Zangana described the concerns, voiced by ultraconservative Egyptians, as groundless.
The official insisted to Egypt's news agency that Iranian tourists will abide by the conditions set by the Egyptian government, stressing his country's keenness to attract Egyptian tourists, as well as tourists of other nationalities, through Egypt.
Ultraconservative Egyptians began expressing their concerns after the government decided to waive visa requirements for Iranian tourists last month.
They said that an increase of Iranian tourists to Egypt may lead to a spread of Shiite influence and conversions.
Egyptian-Iranian relations were long strained under toppled autocratic president Hosni Mubarak, after Iran saw its Islamic revolution in 1979.
Egypt's current president, who was a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, has tried to mend the relationship since he was elected president in June of last year.
