Iran Appeals for Self-Restraint by Egyptian Conflicting Sides
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran once again voiced deep concern over the current developments and fierce clashes in Egypt, and urged all sides in the North African country to show self-restraint.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that it is “ closely following up Egypt’s bitter and regrettable events.”
The statement also condemned violent clashes and killing of innocent people in the Muslim country, and called on all Egyptians to pursue peaceful approaches, such as national dialogue and democratic processes, in addressing the ongoing crisis.
On Friday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had expressed concern about the tense conditions in Egypt, and said, “The possibility of outbreak of civil war in this country (Egypt) has increased, and this is a tragedy.”
The Leader also called on all Egyptian political and religious groups to learn lessons from presence of foreign-backed terrorists in Syria and from Israeli plots against the Islamic world, and warned the Egyptian nation against the grave consequences of the current circumstances.
Emphasizing the need for democracy in the North African country, the Leader stated that the crisis in Egypt should be resolved by the Egyptians alone, and also condemned any foreign interference in the Muslim country.
In relevant remarks on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi had also underlined Egypt's great significance for Iran, and expressed concern about the ongoing tensions in the Arab country.
“We are only concerned about Egypt’s internal situation…we hope that these clashes would be resolved in an Egyptian-Egyptian manner,” Salehi said.
Egypt has been the scene of increasing violence since the army overthrew Mohammed Mursi, the former president, in early July. Dozens of protesters, mostly Mursi’s supporters, have been killed or wounded in the ensuing violence.
