Editing Mohamed ElBaradei (section)

=== 2011 Egyptian revolution ===
{{Main|2011 Egyptian revolution}}

[[File:ElBaredei during Friday of Anger.png|thumb|Mohammed ElBaradei during ''Friday of Anger'']]
During the early days of the Egyptian Revolution, ElBaradei's speechwriter and long-time associate [[Laban Coblentz]] and other IAEA colleagues of ElBaradei contradicted the notion that ElBaradei had only recently become engaged in Egyptian politics, saying he had never relinquished his focus on human rights deficiencies in his home country. Coblentz noted that ElBaradei had first confronted Mubarak in early 2003, during the lead-up to the Iraq War, as well as on subsequent encounters.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tirone|first=Jonathan|title=ElBaradei's Decade of Scolding Mubarak Belies Image of Distant Bureaucrat|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-01/elbaradei-s-decade-of-scolding-mubarak-belie-image-of-distant-bureaucrat.html|access-date=9 July 2012|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=1 February 2011}}</ref>

Coblentz also pointed out the role that social media played in convincing ElBaradei that the young people of Egypt were ready for change: "It was really this last 14 months, where someone I knew as not being particularly computer savvy, taught himself to use Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and started to do in virtual space what was forbidden to do by the Mubarak regime, the freedom of assembly by large groups."<ref>{{cite news|title=Thursday's Intriguing People|url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/03/thursdays-intriguing-people-45/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205023415/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/03/thursdays-intriguing-people-45/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 February 2011|access-date=9 July 2012|newspaper=CNN}}</ref>

While speaking at the [[Harvard Kennedy School]] on 27 April 2010, ElBaradei joked that he is "looking for a job" and is seeking to be an "agent of change and an advocate for democracy" within Egyptian politics. He also made clear that his wife is not very enthusiastic about any potential run.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iop.harvard.edu/Multimedia-Center/All-Videos/Nonproliferation-Arms-Control-Challenges-Opportunities2 |title=Nonproliferation & Arms Control : Challenges & Opportunities |publisher=Harvard University Institute of Politics |date=1 November 2005 |access-date=24 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110327164706/http://www.iop.harvard.edu/Multimedia-Center/All-Videos/Nonproliferation-Arms-Control-Challenges-Opportunities2 |archive-date=27 March 2011}}</ref>

On 27 January 2011, ElBaradei returned to Egypt amid ongoing [[2011 Egyptian protests|turmoil]], with the largest mass protests in 30 years, which had begun two days earlier, on 25 January 2011. ElBaradei declared himself ready to lead a transitional government if that was the will of the nation, saying that, "If [people] want me to lead the transition, I will not let them down."<ref>{{cite web|last=Memmott |first=Mark |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/01/27/133275390/el-baradei-back-in-egypt-says-its-time-for-a-new-government |title=ElBaradei Back in Egypt; Says It's Time for a New Government |publisher=NPR |date=27 January 2011 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref>
Subsequently, "when he joined protesters Friday after noon prayers, police fired water cannons at him and his supporters. They used batons to beat some of ElBaradei's supporters, who surrounded him to protect him."<ref>{{cite news|author=AP |url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/28/violent-clashes-police-break-cairo/ |title=Five People Killed During Protests in Egypt |publisher=FoxNews.com |date=1 February 2010 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref> On 28 January 2011, ElBaradei was reported to have been placed under house arrest in Egypt.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-28/egypt-s-muslim-botherhood-says-police-detain-senior-leaders-after-protests.html Mubarak Faces His Biggest Challenge Amid Nationwide Protests] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823212340/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-28/egypt-s-muslim-botherhood-says-police-detain-senior-leaders-after-protests.html |date=23 August 2013 }}</ref> However, the next day, when he was interviewed by [[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]], he said that he was unaware of any such arrest.<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112974149942894.html Thousands in Cairo defy curfew] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019063405/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112974149942894.html |date=19 October 2011 }}</ref>

Later on, ElBaradei arrived in [[Tahrir Square]] to join thousands of other protesters against the Mubarak regime and spoke directly to the people, stating that they "have taken back [their] rights" and that they cannot go back. A number of Egyptian political movements have called on ElBaradei to form a transitional government.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12320200 ElBaradei's speech on Tahrir Square] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104192909/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12320200 |date=4 January 2016 }}</ref> ElBaradei has also stated that "the people [of Egypt] want the regime to fall." In response to the appointment of [[Omar Suleiman (politician)|Omar Suleiman]] as the new vice president of Egypt, ElBaradei stated that it was a "hopeless, desperate attempt by Mubarak to stay in power. I think [that] it is loud and clear...that Mubarak has to leave today." Additionally, ElBaradei restated his position that, when Egypt does become a democratic nation, "there is no reason to believe that a democracy in Egypt would not lead to a better relationship with the US based on respect and equity."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/01/30/gps.elbaradei.intv.cnn?iref=allsearch |title=Video – Breaking News Videos from |publisher=CNN.com |date=16 July 2010 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref>

The Guardian reported that ElBaradei had been mandated by the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] and four other opposition groups to negotiate an interim "national salvation government."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shenker |first=Jack |last2=McGreal |first2=Chris |date=31 January 2011 |editor-last=Black |editor-first=Ian |title=Egypt Set for Mass Protest as Army Rules Out Force |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/31/egyptian-army-pledges-no-force |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921014332/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/31/egyptian-army-pledges-no-force |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> However, BBC reported that the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition party banned by Mubarak's regime, had not consented to the choice of ElBaradei as the representative of the opposition. "The people have not appointed Mohamed ElBaradei to become a spokesman of them. The Muslim Brotherhood is much stronger than Mohamed ElBaradei as a person. And we do not agree [that he should represent] this movement. The movement is represented by itself, and it will [appoint] a committee. . .to [delegate its representatives]."<ref>{{cite news|author=Kevin Connolly |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12320959 |title=Egypt protesters step up pressure on Hosni Mubarak |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2011 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref>

His appointment was controversial largely because of the long periods that he has spent outside the country. His appointment was seen as a recognition of the importance of various Western nations' support of the revolts.