TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that the Islamic republic hopes relations with Egypt to be restored.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif delivers a speech at the third day of the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, southern Germany, on February 19, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Bahram Qasemi hoped for the removal of obstacles to establish stronger relations with Egypt as a "major" country, according to Tasnim news agency.

Ties between Egypt and Iran were cut off after Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. After the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, particularly after former president Mohamed Morsi took office, the ice began to thaw with mutual visits of the two countries' leaders.

To this end, Tehran maintains necessary contacts with Cairo through Egypt's interests section in the country, Qasemi said, expressing the hope that barriers for closer ties will be overcome and the bilateral ties will experience better conditions.

However, the warming up of the relations halted following Morsi's removal by the military on July 3, 2013, when Iranian foreign ministry said that the intervention of Egyptian armed forces in politics was "unacceptable and disturbing."

"The ties are always two-way, and a set of conditions need to be prepared in both capitals to take steps to promote relation," he was quoted as saying.

Over the past years, Iran has announced readiness to mend relations with Egypt by settling differences on certain issues.