An Egyptian diplomat has sparked controversy after publicly defending Iran and dismissing widely reported casualties from anti-regime protests as “fake news,” while portraying Tehran as a stabilizing force in the region.
Ambassador Khalid Amara, a former senior Egyptian official who served as head of Egypt’s Interests Section in Tehran, said in a March 18, 2026 appearance that east of Egypt, only Iran stands as a “bulwark” against what he described as American and Israeli dominance.
He further claimed that Iran operates within international law and framed its actions as self-defense against what he called a coordinated network of US and allied military bases.
Amara also rejected claims that more than 30,000 Iranians were killed during recent protests, asserting instead that the events were not demonstrations but rather a “street war” in multiple cities across Iran.