Egypt opposition warns govt against entering any war on Iran

Zee News
June 20, 2010

Cairo: Egypt's banned opposition party has warned the Husni Mubarak regime against dragging the country in a US-led aggression on Iran, saying it will not sit and watch any such move with folded hands.

Amidst reports that heavily-armed US and Israli warsips were given a free passage through the Suez Canal on their way to the Red Sea on Friday, the Egyptian Labor Party issued a statement warning the government against involving Egypt in a new "unethical scandal". 

The Labor party, which has been banned from operating for the last 10 years, strongly denounced the Egyptian government's policy of supporting the US, without giving any consideration to national interests, the party's official online newspaper Al-Sha'b said.

Reports have said that 12 US warships, including least one Israeli vessel, carrying a large number of soldiers, passed through the Suez Canal on Friday with the Egyptian army making extra security measures for their safe passage. 

The military flotilla reportedly included aircraft carriers and personnel transporters, and sources said maritime traffic in the Suez Canal was obstructed for several hours in the morning period as the US fleet was sailing.

Arab newspapers have voiced concern that this may indicate Israel and the US are preparing an attack on Iran, with Egyptian cooperation.

Responding to these reports the Egyptian opposition warned that it will not sit by with its hands folded. "These interests are being served at the expense of the interests of the nation," it said.

Observers said the fleet was the largest to cross the Suez Canal in several years and navigation of traffic came to a complete stop.

Egyptian ships on the two sides of the canal accompanied the US fleet until it reached Suez.

However, official sources did not confirm the report.

Other opposition forces in Egypt have also warned the Egyptian regime against repeating its historic mistake of opening the Suez Canal for US warships which sailed via the Suez Canal to attack Iraq.

Western nations led by the US have raised concerns on Iran's nuclear programme, but Tehran has maintained it is for peaceful purposes.

The UN Security Council imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Iran earlier this month.