Azhar Grand Shaykh Ahmad al-Tayyib has decided to postpone the press conference that was previously announced for yesterday.

Instead, a joint statement between Muslims and Christians will be issued in response to the American report on religious freedom in Egypt. The response is expected to say that the American report is simply an American interference in local affairs.

Official Azhar spokesman Muhammad Rafā‘ah al-Tahtāwī told al-Shurūq that the Grand Shaykh decided it would be best to issue a statement right after the Islamic Research Academy’s meeting. He says the Shaykh also composed a committee of Academy members to coordinate with the church on the content of the joint statement.

Academy member Muhammad Salīm al-‘Awwā had previously announced during a speech at the Rab‘ah al-‘Adawiyyah mosque that the press conference was cancelled, but gave no reason.