Iran expressed “concern and regret” over an Egyptian court sentencing to death former president Mohammed Morsi and his supporters.

“Such verdicts, which encourage violence and exclusion (of opponents), hurts Egypt’s image and credibility,” Xinhua news agency quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.

“We hope such approaches would be avoided,” Afkham said.

Iran believed that political problems in Egypt were solvable through national dialogue and political compromise, she added.

Morsi was sentenced to death on Saturday over charges arising from a mass jailbreak in 2011, along with his Muslim Brotherhood supporters, making him the first Egyptian president to be sentenced to death.

Morsi was ousted by the army in July 2013 amid mass protests against his one-year rule. He has since faced a number of charges, including inciting violence, conspiring with foreign powers and killing protesters.

Egyptian authorities branded the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in 2014.