However, a security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told dpa that an unknown person had thrown a bomb from a nearby bridge and that it landed inside a vehicle parked outside the consulate, causing a large explosion.
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Islamist militants seeking to topple the government have claimed responsibility for roadside bombs and suicide bombing attacks.
Initial investigations have stated that a auto bomb was the cause of the explosion, reported Al-Ahram.
Police pushed back a crowd of several hundred people who converged on the blast site, Degner said.
Italy swiftly condemned the attack, with its foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni saying “Italy will not let itself be intimidated”.
Media reports said an Egyptian was wounded by the blast. Four people were also injured, medical sources said.
Egypt has seen escalating attacks by Islamist militants.
It has killed hundreds of soldiers and police since the army deposed President Mohamed Mursi of the Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests.
A huge explosion was heard in central Cairo on Saturday, said a Reuters witness. Following an hours-long battle, the army said it killed over 200 terrorists.
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Western countries are hoping Sisi can maintain relative stability in the Arab world’s most populous country, in a region beset by turmoil.
