TEHRAN- President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran has once more criticized several European nations for approving the burning of the holy Quran, stressing that this goes against their claims of support for freedom of speech.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, he said, “Despite the European countries’ claim to freedom of expression, the permission issued by them for the recent acts of desecration against the holy Quran exemplifies modern ignorance.”

He pointed out that the Quran places great emphasis on the necessity of combating ignorance in all of its forms and “this is why the followers of modern ignorance harbor such a grudge against the Quran.”

“In view of the wave of awakening that is sweeping the world, the day will come when all the people will become aware of the ominous, despicable and inhumane intentions of those who insult the Quran,” the president added.

Raisi panned on Saturday the Swedish government’s response to the burning of the Quran on its land, saying that just condemning the sacrilegious conduct is not enough.

“Issuing a statement to condemn the insult against the holy Quran by the Swedish government is by no means sufficient and this government must bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice,” the president stated.

The remarks were made by Raisi in response to the desecration of the Quran by Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden.

He carried out the sacrilegious act twice, first in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque on June 28 and once more on July 20 in front of the Iraqi embassy, both times under the strong protection of the Swedish police.

The sacrilegious conducts have sparked widespread protests around the Muslim world, particularly in Iran. All Muslim nations have issued harsh condemnations of the act.

Given that the current terms of the Iranian and Swedish ambassadors are about to expire, Raisi stated he has directed the Foreign Ministry not to proceed with the exchange of new ambassadors.

Iran has already summoned Sweden’s envoy to Tehran in response to Momika’s sacrilegious behavior in order to convey the Islamic Republic’s outrage with the Swedish authorities for letting the acts to go ahead unimpeded.

Following the burning incidents, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian declared on Friday that his nation will not accept the new ambassador from Stockholm.