he wishes to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran and re-negotiate Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel Presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said, “Legal action will be taken against the Iranian Fars news agency, which fabricated an interview.”
Ali did not say exactly what kind of legal action would be taken or in what court a suit would be filed. The presidential office notably took no action against the Fars office in Cairo.
Fars went to considerable trouble to tout the interview, which it still has not conceded to be a fake. It produced a transcript of the alleged interview and posted on its website an audiotape, although several people who have listened to it say it does not appear to be Morsi speaking.
Several months ago, then Egyptian presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei denied having an interview with Fars that the agency was plugging.
It wasn’t known if the same Fars reporter in Cairo claims to have conducted both interviews.
Some analysts said the fabricated interview and the strong reaction to it from Egypt seems to have killed any chances of re-newing relations for the foreseeable future, if not Morsi’s entire term in office.