Egypt to allow Iranians entry to Sinai

Vacation season in Sinai is kicking off, and some 200,000 Israelis are expected to cross the border for the most affordable beach vacation.

Reuters reported that Egypt will soon allow Iranian travelers in organized groups to receive visas in an attempt to give them access to more places in the country.

The decision was made as part of a series of decisions made last week aimed at improving everything to do with handing out entry visas for the country in order to enlarge tourism profits at a time when Egypt is in an economic crisis.

This also comes at a time when a number of nations in the Middle East, including Egypt, are taking steps to ease tensions in the region. Saudi Arabia, an ally of Egypt, is an example who announced diplomatic relations with Iran earlier this month.

Furthermore, Egypt worked to bridge the gap between it and Qatar, and it's also renewing ties with Turkey. As part of this, Turkish citizens will be able to get visas for Egypt. This expansion includes the option to enter the country multiple times on the same visa which costs $700 and is valid for five years.

Who is the visa meant for?

Ahmed Issa, the Egyptian tourism minister, told journalists that this type of visa is mainly meant for investors and property owners who live outside of the country.

As to visas for Iranian tourists, Issa said that "in the first stage, we will look into the issue in south Sinai, and based on that, we will look into more places in Egypt."

Despite the fact that Iran and Egypt have had diplomatic relations in the last few decades, the relations between them have been tense.