Iran urges Swedish gov't to take action against Quran desecrations

TEHRAN, Oct 2: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Sunday called on the Swedish government to take practical action against the recurring desecrations of the Quran in the Nordic country.

In a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website, Kanaani strongly condemned the recent "repeated insult" to the Islamic holy book in Sweden on Saturday.

He said Iran maintains that "without any action, the Swedish officials' claims of condemning and opposing the Quran desecration (in their country) fail to be sufficient," regretting that insolent behaviours against Islamic sanctities were still ongoing in the "passive presence" of the Swedish police.

The Swedish government is expected to respond responsibly to the obvious demand of Muslims worldwide, while "making efforts to promote ethical values and peaceful coexistence among religions through implementing practical and effective measures," he noted.

In a move repeated several times over the past months, Salwan Momika, an individual of Iraqi origin, tore pages of the Quran and burnt it in the Swedish city of Malmo on Saturday. The Swedish police detained some individuals and turned away some others who tried to prevent the act, Swedish media reported.