TEHRAN - While widely reflecting the latest statement of the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen regarding the continuation of insults to the holy Quran, Danish media described the statement as a direct message from the embassy to the Danish prime minister.

According to news site 7:59, which is considered one of the most important English-language news sources in Denmark, quoted some Danish media that the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen has urged Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to spell the end of the insults and thwart the ongoing desecration of the Quran in the Scandinavian country.

It is said that Iran’s embassy announced in a direct message to Frederiksen during the last hours of Sunday that it strongly condemned the continuous hateful act of insulting the Quran in Denmark and expressed displeasure at the inaction of the Danish authorities to prevent the promotion of such a despicable act. 

The embassy vehemently denounced the ongoing blasphemous crimes committed against the Quran in Denmark, asserting it is “shocked” by Copenhagen’s apathy.

“The embassy is shocked by the lack of action by the Danish authorities to prevent the continuous promotion of violence in the form of hateful and xenophobic speeches and insults to the Quran,” the statement noted.

It made note of the fact that despite the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) request to Copenhagen on behalf of 57 Muslim nations to put an end to this flagrant insult to Muslims worldwide, the Quran is still being desecrated in the Nordic country.

The embassy also reaffirmed its great concern over the increasingly frequent attacks on the Muslim faith throughout the world and urged the Danish government to take action in accordance with its international commitments.

Additionally, it asked Denmark to stop this “ridiculous show under the guise of defending freedom of speech” and stop additional insults to the Quran.

Extremist groups have desecrated the sacred Muslim book several times during the past month in Sweden and Denmark, whose governments have authorized and defended such abuses as “freedom of expression.”

The whole Muslim community throughout the world is furious about the sacrilegious deeds. The embassies of Sweden and Denmark have been summoned or expelled by a number of nations.

Despite condemning the burning of the Quran, the two Nordic nations claimed they were unable to stop it because freedom of expression is enshrined in their constitution.

The OIC has already urged its members to counter appropriately — politically or economically — toward countries where the Muslim holy book is being defiled.

Additionally, it has asked the world community to unify in opposition to these aggressive actions.

Also on July 29, the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen issued a statement condemning the insult to holy books, including the Quran.

“The Iranian embassy in Copenhagen strongly condemns the insulting action against religious books and national symbols in Copenhagen and believes that such actions are planned and implemented by extremists with seditious goals and motives,” the embassy said.

The embassy also condemned any continuation of such criminal actions and the lack of a decisive move to prevent such defamatory actions.   

While highlighting that freedom of speech is a fundamental human rights principle, the embassy said it should not be used as an excuse to insult religions, holy books, or symbols and national values of nations.

Iran’s embassy in Denmark also called on all governments to ensure that extremists are not given the opportunity to harm the feelings of the followers of any religion under the slogan of freedom of expression.

The embassy strongly condemned the insult to the holy books, including the Quran, the Bible and the Torah.

The statement also noted that desecrating and burning the holy books of different religions is not only a clear example of religious hatred but also an insult to its followers and a clear violation of their human rights.

“Offensive acts such as insulting religious books are not freedom of speech, but rather a blatant expression of hatred,” it added.

On July 23, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi panned 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.