Western nations are concerned that the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s oldest and largest Islamist organization, “is waiting in the wings, hoping for a chance to take over” as revolution sweeps the nation.[1] The Muslim Brotherhood is considered being dedicated to the “creation of a more thoroughly Islamic Egyptian state”.[2]
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded 1928 by Hassan al-Banna and has influenced Islamist movements around the world. It combines political activism with Islamic charity work. The Muslim Brotherhood is officially banned in Egypt and subject to frequent repression.[3] The Muslim Brotherhood is the best-organized Egyptian opposition group, with an estimated 600 000 members. [4] The group is considered the Arab world’s first political Islamic movement. [5]
The Islamic Republic of Iran emerged in 1979 from the Islamic revolution against the Iranian monarchy and many experts and analysts are now questioning the Muslim Brotherhood’s current intentions in Egypt. [6] Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a senior ultra-conservative cleric aligned with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamane’i said: “I herewith proclaim to those (Western leaders) who still do not want to see the realities that the political axis of the new Middle East will soon be Islamic rulership and a democracy based on religion.” He further added: “All these protests in Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan and Yemen are inspired by Iran’s Islamic revolution and these countries are de facto rocked by the aftershock of the Iranian revolution.” [7]
Iran’s revolution has served as a model for both Sunni and Shiite Islamist movements seeking power. Thomas Joscelyn from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies concluded that: “[…] ties between the Brotherhood and Iran predate 1979. Hassan al Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, believed that Sunnis and Shiites should overcome their differences to face their common enemies. So, too, did Ayatollah Khomeini, who openly advocated an alliance between the two main branches of Islam.” [8]
Iran has maintained informal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood for many years. Mehdi Khalaji, senior fellow at the Washington Institute, noted: “If Iran were to develop close relations with the Brotherhood, Iranian influence would grow considerably in the Arab world, giving Tehran a significant say among Arab radicals […].” [9]
Mehdi Khalaji further wrote: “While the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Iran do not have strong organizational ties, the Brotherhood has had a major impact on Islamic revivalism in Iran, a movement that sought to promote Islam not just as a religion but as an ideology governing all aspects of political, economic, and social life.” [10]
Nabil Al-Bukairi of the Yemen Post wrote: “It is true that Egyptian and Palestinian Muslim brotherhood have an intimate relationship with Iran; a result of Iran’s support for the right struggle of Palestinian people against the Israeli invaders.” [11] In 2008, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz reported that the Muslim Brotherhood was providing religious backing for Iran’s moves in the Middle East and its assistance of Hamas. [12]
On February 1, 2011, Muhammad Ghannem, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood was quoted as saying that he would like to see the Egyptian people prepare for war against Israel. He added that: “the Egyptian people are prepared for anything to get rid of this regime.” [13] For many years,the group has actively advocated overturning Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. [14]
[1]Greene, Richard Allen: “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood: A force to be feared?,” CNN Online, January 31, 2011, http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/
01/31/egypt.muslim.brotherhood/?hpt=C2
[2] “Muslim Brotherhood only a minor player in Egyptian player in Egyptian protests,” ANI, January 31, 2011, http://in.news.yahoo.com/muslim-brotherhood-only-minor-player-egyptian-protests-20110130-230938-330.html
[3] “Profile: Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood,” BBC News Online, January 28, 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12313405
[4] Richter, Paul; Nicholas, Peter: “U.S. open to a role for Islamists in new Egypt government,” The Los Angeles Times, January 31, 2011, http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-fg-us-egypt-20110201,0,2958266.story
[5] Grossman, Cathy Lynn: “Mubarak or Muslim Brotherhood not Egypt’s only choice: Experts,” USA Today, January 29, 2011, http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/01/egypt-protests-muslim-brotherhood-mubarak/1
[6] Norman, Joshua: “Muslim Brotherhood: We Don’t Lead Egypt’s Revolt,” CBS News Online, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20030242-503543.html
[7] “Iran cleric: Mideast unrest replay of our 1979 Islamic revolution,” DPA, January 28, 2011, http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/iran-cleric-mideast-unrest-replay-of-our-1979-islamic-revolution-1.339796
[8] Joscelyn, Thomas: “Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Revolution,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies, January 28, 2011, http://defenddemocracy.org/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=11791959&Itemid=361
[9] Khalaji, Mehdi: “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Iran,” The Washington Institute, February 12, 2009, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3014
[10] Khalaji, Mehdi: “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Iran,” The Washington Institute, February 12, 2009, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3014
[11] ] Al-Bukairi, Nabil: “Historic Relations Between Muslim Brotherhood and Iran,” The Yemen Post, April 10, 2010, http://yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=1674&MainCat=6
[12] Bar’el, Zvi: “Neighbors/The Muslim Brotherhood – Iran’s brother-in-arms?,” Haaretz, December 2008, http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/neighbors-the-muslim-brotherhood-iran-s-brothers-in-arms-1.260552
[13] ] Lappin, Yaakov: “”Muslim Brotherhood: ‘Prepare Egyptians for war with Israel’,” The Jerusalem Post, February 1, 2011, http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=206130
[14] Richter, Paul; Nicholas, Peter: “U.S. open to a role for Islamists in new Egypt government,” The Los Angeles Times, January 31, 2011, http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-fg-us-egypt-20110201,0,2958266.story
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