TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran and Egypt held "constructive" talks during a rare meeting in Tehran on Wednesday between senior officials from the two countries, which broke off ties almost three decades ago, Iranian media said.

Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Derar discussed bilateral, regional and international issues with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the IRNA news agency said.

"Both sides described the talks as constructive and called for the continuation of such talks," it said, adding the Egyptian official delivered a message to Mottaki from Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

Mainly Sunni Muslim Egypt and Shi'ite Iran have not had full diplomatic relations since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

They came close to restoring ties in 2003, but Iran failed to meet an Egyptian demand that it remove a commemorative mural in Tehran of Khaled al-Islambouli, leader of the group which in 1981 assassinated Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian leader who made peace with Israel. Iran is fiercely opposed to Israel.

Tehran also still has a street named after Islambouli.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said in May that Tehran was ready to revive ties with Egypt and open an embassy in Cairo in remarks that Egypt's foreign minister described at the time as positive.

On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad described Iran and Egypt as "two brotherly nations" and suggested he would visit Cairo if ties were restored, the official IRNA news agency said.

In September, Egypt and Iran held talks at a senior level in Cairo on restoring full ties, and Egypt said dialogue would continue.

Egypt and Iran maintain interests sections in Tehran and Cairo and their ministers interact at international gatherings, but their senior officials do not often exchange visits.

(Reporting by Reza Derakhshi; Writing by Fredrik Dahl; Editing by Alison Williams)