EGYPT: Egyptian fury over Iranian film

An Iranian film dismissing former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as a "traitor" has elicited a storm of anger in Egyptian circles, a development that further reduces prospects of rapprochement between the two countries.

The Egyptian press quoted the Iranian newspaper Jomhuri Islami as saying that the recent movie "Assassination of the Pharaoh" rejected Sadat as a "traitor" for his 1979 peace accord with Israel. The film, which has has been screened in Iran, praises the assassination of Sadat and calls his radical Islamist killer a "martyr," according to the Egyptian press.

The film comes at a critical juncture as Iran is seeking to resume diplomatic relations with Egypt in an attempt to penetrate the lines of U.S. allies in the region. Diplomatic relations between Iran and Egypt have been broken since 1980 after Egypt had recognized the state of Israel and hosted the ousted Iranian shah. Egypt remains averse to any hasty rapprochement with the Shiite state that still names one of its streets after Sadat's main assassin.

Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, the editor in chief of the state-owned daily Jumhoureyya called the movie "a flagrant aspect of Iranian insensitivity."

He wrote: "I was surprised by this Iranian immorality. Who do they think they are to describe as a traitor the Egyptian heroic president who fought and retrieved Sinai?"

Meanwhile, he ruled out any prospect of the resumption of diplomatic relations between his country and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He continued:  "We wonder at the Iranian dual position. On one hand, Iran calls for the immediate resumption of relations with Egypt and releases a movie the bashes the history of an Egyptian and Arab leader on the other.... Do not expect Egypt to resume relations with you [Iranians] as long as you adopt this attitude."

The state-owned Rose al Youssef daily, which is known for being the staunchest supporter of Egypt's ruling party and the main detractor of the Iranian government, has leveled similar criticism against the movie. The paper's front page issued on July 4 read:

"Iran has committed insolence against Egypt and its leaders, which shows Iran's persistent envy despite all its claims of goodwill towards the Egyptians.... What Iran did is not acceptable at all and shows the reality of the Iranian intentions towards Egypt, its people and leaders."

Sadat's family had reportedly expressed vehement opposition to the movie. El Masry El Youm independent daily quoted his nephew Talaat on Sunday as saying: "The film is a despicable attempt to destroy the man's image and fabricate history."

-- Noha El-Hennawy in Cairo

Photo: President Anwar Sadat (Wikimedia)

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