The arrest warrants were issued on charges of inciting the violence that left at least 51 Brotherhood supporters dead in clashes with the military this week.

General guide of Badie and his deputy, Mahmoud Ezzat were among those who were charged, following the violence that resulted in the removal of Mohamed Morsi as president.

Several leading Brotherhood figures are already in detention.

The development comes as Egypt took the first steps towards the country’s new political future.

New Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi, a 76-year-old economist and former finance minister, has begun to form a cabinet and will begin by meeting liberal politicians Mohamed ElBaradei and Ziad Bahaa el-Din.

Both are prominent figures in the National Salvation Front, the main secularist group that led protests against Morsi.

The country also received two pledges of significant financial aid as its political crisis continued, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledging $8bn between them.

The army has reminded politicians who wields the real power now.

General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, its chief, stated “The future of the nation is too important and sacred for maneuvers or hindrance” – a message believed to be aimed at al-Nour, which had backed the departure of Morsi but had subsequently proved problematic.

The acting President Adly Mansour proposed a “fast-track road map” in which amendments to a constitution which Morsi had forced through will be put to a referendum in four months, followed by parliamentary and presidential elections next year.

The appointments and the constitutional proposals were immediately rejected by the Brotherhood which repeated its call for an uprising first made after more than 51 of its supporters died and 440 were injured in what it called a “cold-blooded massacre” outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard.

SHI/SHI