Political rift will lead to civil war in Egypt: Iranian lawmaker

A senior Iranian lawmaker has warned that continued political rift will lead to civil war in Egypt if President Mohamed Morsi fails to overcome problems facing the country.

Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, the spokesman for Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Saturday that Morsi has been facing major challenges in his first year in office, warning that “political rift will lead to civil war in Egypt.”

“If the Egyptian president fails to overcome problems, we should expect the beginning of a civil war in the country,” he said.

The Iranian lawmaker stated that the remaining elements of the previous government are working with countries opposing civil liberties in Egypt to prevent the restoration of calm in the country.

Although Morsi has made certain decisions over the past year that have aroused public outrage, the US and the Israeli regime are also provoking opponents of the Egyptian president in a bid to disturb peace in the country, Naqavi Hosseini said.

He added that extremist Salafis and Takfiris in Egypt seek to hijack the achievements of the Egyptian revolution to their own benefit.

The Iranian lawmaker advised Morsi’s opponents to hold talks to achieve national reconciliation and help solve problems.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Morsi said the polarization of the country’s political life is “threatening to paralyze” Egypt.

He acknowledged that he had made some mistakes during his first year in office but called for national reconciliation, saying that he was open to cooperation with the opposition on constitutional reforms.

Several political groups say the government is dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. The opposition also accuses Morsi of deviating from the 2011 revolution that toppled the Western-backed regime of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi’s supporters, however, say the president is cleansing Egyptian institutions of corruption but he needs time to realize the ideals of the 2011 revolution.