Egyptain Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr submitted his resignation Monday night, according to the aforementioned report, which cited the state news agency MENA.
Hordes of Egyptians are currently rallying against Egypt’s president, Mohammed Morsi, which seemingly motivated the resignation.
At least 16 people have died as supporters and opponents of Morsi have rivaled it out in the streets since Sunday, according to the aforementioned report. The opponents of the president are calling for his resignation.
Morsi on Tuesday declared that he was the leader of the country and that “remnants of the former regime” that ostensibly collapsed in 2011 are responsible for the growing discontent in Egypt, according to The New York Times.
“I am the president of Egypt,” he declared, according to the Times.
“The remnants of the former regime, they are fighting against our democracy,” he said, according to the aforementioned report. “If they come back to the people they will be rejected. They are accustomed to corruption, rigging elections sucking dry the blood of the people.”
“They cannot thrive in democracy,” he added, the Times further reported.
Morsi begged his people in a speech broadcast on state television to remember the revolution that brought him to power.
“Safeguard Egypt, safeguard the revolution,” he pleaded, according to the Times. “The revolution we earned by the sweat of our eyebrows and by the blood of our martyrs.”