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The NE-SW trending Mubarak shear belt in the Central Eastern Desert (CED) of Egypt records the structural features of a transpression regime. Structural interpretation of satellite data and field observations indicates the presence of two episodes of deformation. The less dominant D-1 deformation is related to sinistral movement along NW-SE trending Wadi Abu Dabbab shear zone and formation of F-1 tight to isoclinal non-cylindrical folds and thrust fan as a consequence of transpression. The thrust fan includes ESE- to SE-dipping thrusts in the ophiolitic melange and S- to SSW-dipping thrusts in the northern part of the metagabbro-diorite complex. The transpression-related sinistral shear regime is superimposed by the dominant D-2 dextral transpression along NE-SW trending Wadi El-Umra shear zone. This dextral shearing is characterized by development of NNE- to NE-trending S-2 cleavage, strike-slip duplex, NNE- and NE-trending F-2 folds, and NNW-directed thrusts. These two events represent a single progressive phase associated with sinistral transpressional deformation, which is related to a younger E-W shortening event. E-W directed shortening is due to oblique convergence between East and West Gondwana along the Mozambique belt. Transpressional structures in the NE-SW trending Mubarak-Barramiya shear belt indicate highly oblique convergence leading to wrench-dominated dextral transpression and development of a major flower structure between Wadi Mubarak and Hafafit dome occupying the whole width of the CED. (C) 2010 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.