Sunni-Shia divide underpins connection between Salafists, Gov’t: The National Interest is running a feature on the extent the Sunni-Shia divide has taken root in Egypt — and how it represents a shared agenda between Egypt’s Salafists and the state. The regional schism between the two factions, which intensified following the Arab Spring, has breathed new life to anti-Shia sentiments from within Al Azhar (which openly promotes peaceful interfaith dialogue with Christians and Jews) and Salafists, Geneive Abdo writes. These believe jive perfectly with the geopolitical considerations of the government, which leans towards the Sunni-majority faction in its regional disputes with Iran, she argues.