Islamist movements and Salafi parties plan to organize a demonstration in Tahrir Square on 15 March to protest what they see as normalization in relations with Iran and Shia Muslims, and to pressure the president and Muslim Brotherhood to stop exchanging visits with Iran.
The Salafi Nour and Asala parties, the Jama’a al-Islamiya’s Construction and Development Party and the Muslim Rebels, Sahaba and Omatuna movements, as well as the Hazemoun — a group supporting former presidential hopeful and Salafi Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail — plan to participate.
“We will escalate the matter if the Brotherhood keeps signing agreements with Iran,” said Yehia al-Sherbiny, coordinator of the Muslim Rebels movement.
Brotherhood member Karem Radwan said the group would face any Shia “tide,” the word often used to describe what some fear is the spread of Shia Islam in mostly Sunni Egypt.
“Our relations with Iran are political, not religious,” Radwan said.
The planned demonstration comes after a much-discussed visit from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Cairo last month.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
