Qur’an desecration: Iran FM tells Sweden, Denmark to act before it’s too late

The Iranian foreign minister made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir in Tehran on Monday after a mutual meeting.

More acts of sacrilege against the Holy Qur’an have taken place in Sweden and Denmark even as the two countries have said they are exploring ways to legally limit such actions to deescalate growing tensions with Muslim countries.

Swedish media said Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, under the protection of the country’s police, burned a copy of the sacred Muslim book in front of the Iranian embassy in Stockholm on Friday while shouting profanities against Islam, Muslims and the Qur’an.

However, the police arrested a woman who tried to stop him.

Amir-Abdollahian said that in the meeting with his Malaysian counterpart both sides “vehemently condemned the desecration of holy books, Abrahamic religions and the Holy Qur’an” in Sweden and Denmark.

He added that the Muslim world and nations would not tolerate such sacrilegious acts and urged Stockholm and Copenhagen to be cautious about the rise of extremism, violence and terrorism in Europe.

Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that Muslim countries would severely pursue the idea of banning the purchase of Swedish and Danish commodities.

On Sunday, the deputy director general of the Human Rights Department of Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Sweden and Denmark’s chargés d’affaires in Tehran in protest at the continuation of brazen and heinous acts of insulting the Muslim holy book.

The Iranian diplomat said the governments of Sweden and Denmark have to bear the full responsibility and serious consequences of this blasphemous move.

Important, fruitful talks about enhanced Iran-Malaysia ties

Elsewhere in the presser, the Iranian foreign minister said he held important and fruitful talks about further improvement of mutual ties and some leading regional and international issues.

He added that a session of Iran-Malaysia joint economic commission would convene in Tehran in the near future and its sub-committees would hold regular sessions to discuss consular, trade, economic and cultural issues and the fight against terrorism.

He noted that diplomatic efforts are underway to organize visits by Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi to Kuala Lumpur and the Malaysian prime minister to Tehran.

Amir-Abdollahian said the two countries are keen to bolster scientific and technological cooperation and hold active matches in all sports fields.

Both sides agreed to speed up the extradition of criminals and the exchange of prisoners, he said, expressing hope that the two countries would release female inmates at the first step in the near future.

Israel, only occupying, aggressive regime in West Asia

The top Iranian diplomat said Israel is the only occupying and aggressive regime in the West Asia and hoped that with prudence of regional states, the Muslim world and nations would increase their support for the Palestinian people and resistance front.

“Iran and Malaysia have consensus on [providing] support for the Palestinian people, fight against terrorism and [bolstering] multilateral cooperation among Muslim countries,” the top Iranian diplomat pointed out.