We are like a woman with a difficult pregnancy. We have to rebuild the social classes in Egypt, and we must change the way things were.

I defend both the freedom of expression and society's right to counter it. I must pay the price for differing. It is the natural way of things.

If you want to move people, you look for a point of sensitivity, and in Egypt nothing moves people as much as religion.

In Egypt today most people are concerned with getting bread to eat. Only some of the educated understand how democracy works.

As the tension eases, we must look in the direction of agriculture, industry and education as our final goals, and toward democracy under Mr Mubarak.

I consider Khomeini's position dangerous. He does not have the right to pass judgment-that is not the Islamic way.