Speaking at a parliament session on Thursday, Rouhani referred to current tensions and challenges in the Middle East and offered his condolence and sympathy to Egyptian people.

He said, I remind the Egypt military that Egyptian people are great and freedom-loving people; don’t suppress these people.

People’s path is path of democracy and Islam and the entire world should respect Egyptian people’s demands and we sympathize with them in current condition”.

Egypt’s Health Ministry says at least 525 people were killed and 3,600 injured in Wednesday’s violence.

Over 43 security personnel, including a number of generals and colonels, were among the dead. A funeral was reportedly held for the military personnel killed in the unrest.

However, the Muslim Brotherhood put the death toll far higher, saying more than 2,000 people had died. It has vowed to peacefully defeat the military coup that led to Morsi’s ouster last month.

In a separate development, Egyptian authorities extended Morsi’s detention for another 30 days.

Egyptian authorities have also referred 84 people, including Brotherhood members and supporters, from the city of Suez to military prosecutors. They have been charged with murder and setting churches alight.

The Egyptian army had earlier warned of taking action against the supporters of the ousted president.

SHI/SHI