IRNA � Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Thursday that if news reports about Egypt's withdrawal from a US-led Arab NATO initiative come true, Iran would welcome Cairo's decision.

Speakingto IRNA political correspondent, Qasemi said that the report carried by some news agencies has not been officially confirmed yet and Iran is examining whether the reports are true or not.

'In case the news is confirmed, we will welcome that,' Qasemi said.

'Egypt is an important and powerful country both in the Arab and in the Muslim world that can play a key role in creating peace, stability and security in West Asia region,' the spokesman added.

He said that Egypt can exercise realism to help foster unity among Muslim countries and bring them closer together.

Qasemi expressed hope that Egypt, 'as an undeniable power of Arab world', can carry out its historical duty in the most sensitive conditions of the region.

He said that the new conditions will help Iran, Egypt and other regional countries to gain a better understanding of each other so as to be able to more actively fight terrorism, provide security and sustainable stability, and give a boost to mutual understanding and multilateral cooperation.

The Iranian spokesman expressed doubt that the Arab NATO initiative can be successful, arguing that NATO was founded in Western world 'under certain historical and geographical conditions, based on a series of certain values and necessities and even very certain commonalities' which is not likely to be copied in the Arab world.