CAIRO, Egypt: Egypt's al-Azhar University is considering opening a branch in Iran on the request of Iranian authorities, London-based Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported.

A source within the management of the university told the daily: "Sheikh Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, who heads Al-Azhar University, has positively welcomed the request from the Iranian authorities to open a branch of his institute in Tehran and is said to be evaluating the proposal."

Tantawi received a request from authorities in Tehran to open an institute linked to Al-Azhar to teach Sunni doctrine in the Iranian capital.

"An Iranian delegation led by the ambassador Sayd Hussein Rajibi, which deals with Iranian interests in Egypt visited the Sheikh (Tantawi) at Al-Azhar three days ago," said the source.

"Together they agreed on the necessity to bring the experience of the teachings at Al-Azhar to Iran, to promote cultural cooperation and an exchange of professors from religious universities between Cairo and Tehran."