Iran Summons Swedish Diplomat Over Desecration of Holy Quran

The incident occurred with the approval of Swedish authorities, who cited "freedom of speech." The Swedish diplomat was summoned by the ministry's director-general for Western Europe in the absence of Sweden's ambassador to Tehran.

During the incident, two men burned a copy of the Holy Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque, with permission granted by a Swedish court. The act coincided with the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, which marks the conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage.

The desecration has triggered widespread protests across the Muslim world. In the meeting with the Swedish diplomat, the Iranian official strongly condemned the sacrilegious act, emphasizing that Sweden's silence and passivity only emboldened those who violated the fundamental principle of respect for religious values, Press TV reported.

The official reminded the diplomat that the desecration took place during the Hajj rituals, highlighting the act as an instance of hate-mongering and aggression disguised as free speech. He pointed out that Sweden had previously hosted similar disrespectful actions and notified the diplomat of Iran's protest, urging Sweden to address such incidents promptly to prevent their recurrence.

In response, the Swedish diplomat stated that his country opposes all forms of Islamophobia and assured that he would convey Iran's protest to the Swedish government.