The Swedish authorities' decision to allow the burning of the Koran in the country again, in addition to setting the Iraqi flag on fire, has caused a storm in recent days throughout the Arab world and the Middle East.
Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and of course Iraq, strongly condemned the move and summoned Swedish ambassadors and diplomatic representatives for reprimands. Yesterday, the head of relations at the Swedish embassy in Riyadh was summoned for a conversation to protest the approval of the authorities in his country for burning the Koran. The subpoena letter included a demand that Sweden take all measures to stop it.
In the UAE, the Swedish head of relations was also summoned for a reprimand in which he received an official letter of protest against the "burning of a copy of the Koran in his country by extremists." Abu Dhabi condemned the approval of such acts and stressed the importance of controlling hate speech and racism that negatively impact the ability to achieve peace and security.
Protesters in Iraq. On Thursday, the Swedish embassy was set on fire, Photo: AFP
In Iraq, where hundreds of Shiites broke into the Swedish embassy building on Thursday and set it on fire, they expressed disgust at the actions. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry recalled its diplomatic representative from Stockholm and made it clear to the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad that she had to leave the country. It was also stressed that these steps were instructed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, in response to Sweden's reauthorization of the burning of the Koran.
Iranian protesters burn the US flag at a demonstration in front of the Swedish embassy, Photo: AP
The storm also reached Iran, where Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani summoned the Swedish ambassador for a reprimand. "We strongly condemn the repeated act of impurity against the Quran in Sweden." Kanaani also blamed the Swedish government for the consequences of hurting "Muslim sentiments around the world." Other Muslim countries, including Lebanon, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Oman, joined the wave of condemnations of the Swedish decision.
Earlier this month, an Iraqi exile burned a Koran at a demonstration against the Baghdad embassy. Sweden later allowed a protester to burn a Bible at another protest event. The unusual request was submitted by a young man in his 30s. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog strongly condemned the move, and in the end the burning of the Bible was not carried out.
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