Political and religious powers have made many objections to Iran's Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei urging President Mohamed Morsi him to implement rule by ‘Velayat el-Faqih' (Guardianship of the Jurists), while Egyptians are very concerned over this clear interference in their domestic affairs. Velayat el-Faqih, adopted in the Shi'ite Republic of Iran in 1979, means a leading Islamic jurist having faqih (political guardianship) over the people. The different Islamic powers, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, as well as the civil parties, have entirely rejected the Iranian call, which came in a letter signed on Ayatollah Khamenei's behalf by his 17 closest advisers, including Ali-Akbar Velayati, the ‘Leader's Adviser on Foreign Affairs. The timing of this message following the first visit made by an Iranian president to Egypt has added to the public concern, especially as the presidency so warmly welcomed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while participating in the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) summit held in Egypt earlier this month. Ahmadinejad visited Al-Azhar as well as el-Hussein Mosque, where he made the victory sign. Egyptians wonder whether this victory sign reflects a real rapprochement between Cairo and Tehran, or whether the Iranian President was just expressing his joy at visiting Cairo after the toppling of Mubarak's regime that kept its distance from Iran for long decades. Though he received him in his office, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar stressed his rejection of attempts to spread Shiite beliefs in Egypt. Ahmadinejad's visit and the message sent by the Iranian Supreme Guide have angered the different religious parties, starting with Al-Azhar, that affirms that the Shi'ite ruling regime of Velayat el-Faqih is not suitable for Egypt, whose Muslims are Sunni and do not require a religious guardian. Egyptians are also worried about the Iranian attempt to create strong ties with the Muslim Brotherhood regime, especially as its media keep on saying that the Arab spring was, in fact, an ‘Islamic awakening', inspired by Khomeini's teachings and Khamenei's leadership. The MB. who are led by a supreme guide, might positively respond to the call to enforce religious rule on Egypt, but they won't respond to Khamenei, who claims to be the ‘Wali al-Amr al-Muslimeen' (Custodian of Muslims) throughout the world. This is because the MB have always been Sunni, not Shi'ite. If this is reassuring for the Islamist powers, including the Salafists, it still worries the civil powers and ordinary citizens, who want democratic civil rule, not religious rule.
