Iran brings Egyptian complaints to Turkey

The Iranian government said Friday it was discussing the Egyptian crisis with Turkey following Cairo's complaints of Iran's interference in its affairs. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi arrived Friday for a one-day visit to Turkey. His spokesman, Abbas Araqchi, told Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency both sides would discuss "regional issues, particularly developments in Egypt." The Egyptian military ushered in the end of the presidency of Mohamed Morsi -- the first democratically elected president in Egyptian history -- last week. Public support for Morsi shifted because of lingering economic concerns and complaints about his allegiance to Islamic political ideologies. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry this week said it was frustrated with Iran's interference in its internal affairs. "The ministry strongly disapproves of repeated statements issued by Iranian officials, which reflect an insufficient grasp on the nature of the democratic developments Egypt is currently witnessing," Egypt's al-Ahram news agency quoted the government as saying Wednesday. Iran expressed concern about Morsi's ouster. Rival Western powers have stopped short of describing the military intervention as a coup. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Iran's foreign policy committee, was quoted by state-funded broadcaster Press TV as saying "the only way out" of the Egyptian crisis is through democratic elections. Egyptian interim leaders this week pledged to hold elections as soon as possible. The Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi's patrons, have objected to political solutions offered so far.