Senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, Ali Sadr Al-Din Al-Bayanuni, slammed the Egyptian branch of the organisation after a number of its members took part in a forum sponsored by Iran, which the Syrian branch regards as a major foe.

The exiled London-based leader, who is now head of the group's Shura Council, said the participation by senior members of the Egyptian group in the Islamic unity forum held in London last month runs counter to the organisation's policy on Iran.

"In light of Iran's declared hostile positions towards the nation [Syria], participation in the conference amounts to treason against the blood of martyrs that the Iranian militias have shed everywhere," Al-Baynouni said, as reported by local media.

Al-Baynouni was quoted as saying that Iran has "in recent years reared its bloody face and blatant hostility to Arabs, Muslims and the Muslim Brotherhood."

Tehran is a key ally of the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, and has provided military and economic support in his fight against Sunni Islamist militant rebel groups. Cairo advocates a political solution to the country's six-year civil war.

Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2013.

Al-Baynouni told Al-Ahram Arabic news website on Wednesday that his comments were leaked from a private message addressing deputy chief of the Muslim Brotherhood group Ibrahim Mounir, who led a delegation that took part in the Iran-sponsored forum.

The Egyptian-born Mounir, who is also based in London, is also the secretary-general of the Muslim Brotherhood's International Organisation.

"Since Ibrahim Mounir does not represent himself in such conferences, but represents the group in which he holds a leading position, I denounce and disavow this participation, which does not represent me," Al-Baynouni said, adding that this is the position of the group in Syria.

The Muslim Brotherhood group has been also banned in Saudi Arabia and the UAE as a terrorist organisation.

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