Iranian Official Views Dialogue as Solution to Egypt’s Crisis

Speaking on Monday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian called on all sides of the conflict in Egypt to avoid violence, and urged Egyptians to engage in dialogue in order to end the crisis in a rational manner.

He also added that the best solution to the crisis in Egypt was "abiding by the law and respecting the popular vote".

Warning against division among the Egyptians, the Iranian official said the support of certain Egyptian institutions for one side of the conflict fuels the unrest, which is not in the interest of any group in Egypt.

Amir Abdollahian’s remarks came after dozens of Egyptian people were killed in clashes during rival demonstrations by the supporters and opponents of ousted President Mohamed Mursi on Saturday.

According to Muslim Brotherhood –Mursi’s party- and Egyptian medical sources, at least 150 people have been killed and 5,200 others injured in recent violent clashes across the country.

In a separate development on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi expressed sorrow over the killing of dozens of people in recent clashes in Egypt, and urged all parties to safeguard national solidarity.

He also called on all Egyptian parties and leaders to respect national solidarity, people’s basic rights, and democratic principles to pave the way for dialogue and national reconciliation.

On July 3, army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced that President Mohamed Mursi was no longer in office and declared that the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, had been appointed as the new interim president of Egypt. The army also suspended the constitution.

Scores of people have been killed ever since in almost daily clashes between supporters of the deposed president, his opponents, and the country’s security forces.