Major General Tamer al-Shahawy, former official of military intelligence, said elements from Iran's Revolutionary Guards visited Egypt under rule of toppled President Mohamed Morsi to train Muslim Brotherhood members on establishing parallel security authorities, after Morsi’s administration failed to control official security services.
In remarks to Al-Arabiya channel's website published on Friday, Shahawy said Morsi asked the government to allow access of 200,000 Iranian tourists to Egypt under the claim of promoting tourism, however, military intelligence refused and warned against Egyptian-Iranian rapprochement. He said a report in this regard was submitted to him but he insisted.
The tourist delegation visited Egypt, according to Shahawy. It included members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to observe the situation in Egypt before carrying out their and the Brotherhood’s schemes. However, security services intervened and totally rejected entrance of Iranian tourists and members of the Revolutionary Guards.
“After the 25 January revolution, intelligence noticed dubious actions by the Iranian charge d'affaires and requested him to stick to his diplomatic role, as he thought Egypt was ready for Iranian expansion. We strictly warned him against deviating from his diplomatic duty,” he said.
“Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Egypt upon invitation by the ousted president. When he came to Cairo, we were surprised by his request to visit Al-Hussein mosque, where he did a provoking act flashing the victory sign. The Egyptian people’s response was fast. Some tried to attack him and raise the shoes in his face. Such response meant Egyptians refusal toward rapprochement between Iran and the Brotherhood,” he added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
