Al-Mirdas criticises Al-Gharyani’s regional positions
Libya – Libyan diplomat and ambassador Mohamed Shaban Al-Mirdas said that Sadiq Al-Gharyani has become, in his assessment, a political player representing radical currents, arguing that he takes hostile positions toward Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, for reasons he linked to personal grievances.
Reading of his stance on the Houthis
In remarks exclusively to An-Nahar newspaper, Al-Mirdas said Al-Gharyani’s support for the Houthis in Yemen aligns, in his view, with the general position of the Muslim Brotherhood and fundamentalist currents.
He argued that Al-Gharyani’s positions do not embarrass the head of the Government of National Unity, saying the latter uses him as a religious cover against his opponents inside Libya, and that an “active alliance of interests” has linked the two sides for some time, in his words.
Assessment of his popularity and political influence
Al-Mirdas said Al-Gharyani’s popularity inside Libya has eroded and that he no longer has a popular base beyond what remains of fundamentalist currents, attributing that to his insistence on issuing fatwas and taking positions Al-Mirdas described as controversial and as having harmed Libya’s image and international relations, especially with neighbouring states and their allies in the region.
He concluded that political developments in Libya “do not serve the Islamist current,” arguing that under these conditions Al-Gharyani turns to positions and fatwas that scramble the cards and influence the course of the political scene.
