Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Egypt intends to re-establish diplomatic offices in Baghdad, the Egyptian Middle East News Agency said Thursday. Egypt pulled back its diplomatic presence in Iraq when its diplomat in Baghdad, Ihab el-Sherif, was killed in 2005.

"Egypt will soon send a security delegation to Baghdad to explore the security, organizational and administrative requirements needed for the resumption of an official Egyptian diplomatic presence in Iraq," MENA reported the minister saying.

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said in November the United States would reach out to Iraq's neighbors to encourage them to re-establish a diplomatic relationship with Iraq.