Iran not to accept new Swedish envoy: Iran FM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Jul 2023 23:52
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Iran will also not send its envoy to Stockholm.

Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib in Beirut, Lebanon, March 24, 2022 (AP)

Amid of wave of anger that is sweeping across the Arab-Muslim world over successive acts of desecration of the Quran in Sweden, Iran's top diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced on Friday that Tehran will not accept the successor to the former Swedish ambassador who has just recently completed his mission.

The diplomat added that Iran will also not send its envoy to Stockholm.

"The Swedish ambassador in Tehran has finished his mission, and according to the president's order, we will not accept the new Swedish ambassador, who is supposed to arrive in Tehran over the next few days until the Swedish government takes serious action against the person who insults the Holy Quran," Amir-Abdollahian said.

"This is the decision that the President asked me to be done and to announce this decision to the Swedish government that we have taken this action," he added.

Earlier today, the Iranian diplomat held a phone call with his Swedish counterpart, during which Amir-Abdollahian urged for legal action to be taken against the person who committed the act of desecration.

"The person who committed this unforgivable insult must be detained, tried, and held to account for his actions. Otherwise, Sweden has to wait for the decisive decisions of the Islamic countries," he told Tobias Billström.

Massive demonstrations were held in Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen as protesters denounced the desecration of the Holy Quran in Stockholm.

In the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, sit-ins were organized outside mosques after the Friday prayers as protesters held copies of the Holy Quran and expressed their readiness to protect it.

Additionally, Lebanese protesters carried banners demanding the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Lebanon.

The Lebanese authorities have also tightened security measures around the Swedish embassy.

In Iran, thousands gathered in Tehran protesting the Swedish government's consecutive decisions to allow the burning and desecration of the Holy Quran.

Protesters in Tehran chanted against the United States and "Israel", accusing them of being behind such provocative acts and asserting that European countries lacked the courage to protect Islamic sanctities. Participants in the demonstrations in Iran also called on other Islamic countries to reconsider their diplomatic relations with Sweden.

In Iraq, protesters gathered in the city of Diwaniyah, south of the country, and in the capital Baghdad.

Protesters were heard chanting, "Yes to the Quran, yes to Iraq," demanding stronger measures against Sweden.

Others earlier stormed and set fire to the Swedish embassy after its staff members were transferred out of Baghdad. The embassy also announced that it has relocated its work to Stockholm after the Iraqi government decided to expel the ambassador.

In the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, massive demonstrations were held as citizens responded to Sayyed Nasrallah's call to protest, Al Mayadeen's Yemen Bureau chief said.

The protesters strongly criticized the Swedish government for allowing extremists to repeat the burning of copies of the Holy Quran, viewing it as an act of war against Islam and Muslims.