Anger mounts in Muslim-majority nations over Quran desecration in Sweden

Muslim-majority nations expressed outrage at the desecration of a copy of the Quran in Sweden.

Some prepared for street demonstrations following midday prayers to show their anger.

In Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, protesters planned demonstrations after Swedish police permitted a protest on Thursday in which an Iraqi Christian living in Stockholm kicked and stood on a Quran, Islam's holy book, outside of the Iraqi Embassy.

Hours before that, demonstrators in Baghdad broke into the Swedish Embassy and lit a fire to show their anger at his threats to burn the book.

Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al Sudani has ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and the withdrawal of the Iraqi charge d’affaires from Sweden.

Türkiye calls Sweden to act in line with UN resolution

Türkiye joins global outcry over the incident that prompted urgent measures against religious intolerance following a recent UN resolution.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the repeated attacks against the Holy Quran in Sweden.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the despicable attack targeting our holy book, the Quran, in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm today," the statement read.

The statement advised that following the despicable attack on the Holy Quran in front of a mosque in Stockholm on June 28, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on July 12, defining attacks on the Holy Quran as religious hatred.

"We expect Sweden to take measures to deter and prevent this hate crime against the religion of Islam and its billions of believers within the framework of its international responsibilities, especially its obligations at the UN, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe," the statement said.

Separately Turkish justice ministry issued an arrest warrant for Danish politician Rasmus Paludan and nine other suspects for burning Quran

Demonstrations expand

In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the events in Sweden .

He called on the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation to play a “historic role in expressing the sentiments of Muslims and stopping this demonization.”

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two Gulf Arab nations, summoned Swedish diplomats to condemn the desecration.

In neighboring Iran, demonstrators also planned to take to the streets. Tehran also has summoned the Swedish ambassador.

Burning Quran

This is the second Quran desecration to involve the Iraqi Christian in Sweden, identified as Salwan Momika.

Last month, a man identified by local media and on his social media as Momika burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.

A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkey’s Embassy earlier this year, complicating Sweden’s efforts to persuade Turkey to let it join NATO.

In June, protesters who support al-Sadr stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad over the Quran burning.