Iran Blasts France’s Blatant Excuse for Sacrilegious Acts


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman lashed out at the government of France for justifying insults to the sacred values of other nations under the pretext of advocating freedom of speech.

In a post on his Twitter account on Sunday, Nasser Kanaani decried Paris for supporting French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which has launched a competition to produce caricatures of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

“With its dark historical record of colonialism and violation of human rights and freedom of speech at home and abroad, France has no right to justify the brazen insult to the sanctities of the other countries and nations and followers of divine religions under the pretext of freedom of speech,” he said.

Kanaani underlined that the French officials must observe the obvious and basic principles of the international relations, namely mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of others, and respect for the national and religious values and sanctities of the other nations.

In a post on his Twitter account on January 4, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had warned that "the insulting and disgraceful act of a French magazine in publishing cartoons against religious and political authorities will receive a decisive and effective response."