Egypt, Iran and coup

Discussions in Egypt after the military coup have intensified on relations between Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood. The efforts by Iran to become more influential with the Muslim Brotherhood should also be included in the discussion. As you may remember, shortly after the start of the Egyptian revolution, Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei made an analogy between the popular movements in Tunisia and Egypt and the Iranian Islamic revolution, adding that the awakenings in the region are of an Islamist character and that they were making progress as a reflection of anti-American tendencies. This was a signal of rapprochement with Egypt. Iran did everything to attract Egypt under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood to an antiAmerican and anti-Western position. Some figures from the Muslim Brotherhood made attempts shortly after the revolution to resume relations with Iran. Mohammed Morsi was the first Egyptian president to pay a visit to Iran since the Iranian Islamic revolution in 1979. Even though Morsi criticized Iran's Syrian policy, part of the Muslim Brotherhood took steps to improve relations with Iran mostly because of the economic conditions in the country. Iran, exploiting the economic weaknesses of Egypt, offered a deal that included severe provisions in return for economic aid. Under the agreement, Iran pledged a $1-billion loan and $1 billion in grants in the form of oil as well as 1 million tourists. In return, they asked for the following: 1. normalization of relations between the two countries and the formation of high-level joint study groups via bilateral commissions; 2. ceasing Egyptian support of the Syrian opposition and establishing bilateral ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; 3. opening Hezbollah offices in Cairo; 4. allowing Iran to have connection with Hamas via Egypt; 5. stop referring to Hezbollah as terrorists; and 6. allowing Iran to transport arms and supplies to its allies in t he region - Hamas and the Syrian regime -- via the Sinai Peninsula and the Suez Canal. The Iranian regime was hoping that Egypt would respond to their request positively given the economic hardships of the country and its connections within the Muslim Brotherhood. And the Brotherhood was not disagreeable to these requests. At least, they were viewing some of them as discussable and trying to maintain good relations with Iran. During the process of rapprochement between Iran and Egypt, Iranian tourists were directed to Egypt. To this end, direct flights between Tehran and Cairo and Tehran and Aswan started in March 2013. But in response to reactions and protests from people, Egypt cancelled the flights from Iran to Egypt. As they approached Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood raised concerns in the international arena. The expansion of Iran's sphere of influence, which maintained domination in Syria through chaos strategies, to Egypt via good relations with the Muslim Brotherhood was a move that could destroy political balances in the Middle East. At the time they were discussing the economic aid agreement with Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood relied on a pretty contradictory position with respect to the Syrian crisis. Morsi, who remained ambivalent to the economic aid offer by Iran and people's reactions, finally bowed to pressures. During his approach of Iran, assaults took place against Shiites in Egypt. In fact, reactions against Morsi's policy of approaching Iran were a sign and a message to his administration. However, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood failed to appreciate this message in a timely manner. On June 13, Morsi announced that they had cut off relations with the Syrian regime and had rejected the Iranian offer. It was noted that Morsi met with 19 religious clerics, along with Al-Azhar's Sheikh Qaradawi, two days before this statement and that he had to bow to their pressure. In a public speech in Cairo, Morsi said they had cut off all relations with the Assad regime. He also noted that they had asked the Syrian regime to recall their diplomatic staff in Cairo and that Egypt had recalled its diplomats in Damascus. Morsi further stated that Hezbollah should leave Syria, that the Syrian opposition should be supported and that they had already looked into options to do so. In addition, he also announced that they had rejected the Iranian offer. However, this was an overdue move. At that stage, it was impossible for him to please Iran or the international arena which saw his approach of Iran as a problem. The Iranian authorities made a statement after the coup in which they implied that Morsi got what he deserved.