TEHRAN- Iran has denounced Sweden for being powerless to stop the recurring desecration of the Quran that hurts Muslims, urging Stockholm to adopt “practical measures” to achieve that goal.

Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, stated on Sunday that the Swedish officials’ verbal condemnation of the sacrilegious deeds is insufficient.

“Unfortunately, we still witness the repetition of desecration of Islamic sanctities in contravention of basic principles of human rights,” he said.

The remarks came one day after Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man living in Sweden, attempted to burn a copy of the Quran in the city of Malmo under heavy protection. He had done the blasphemous act for several times in recent months.

“Such hatred-inducing acts that insult and violate the rights and values of more than two billion Muslims have taken place amid the passive presence of the Swedish police, whose main responsibility is to maintain security and prevent the abuse of people’s rights. Of course, such acts will never be erased from the minds of the world’s freedom-seeking people,” Kanaani pointed out. 

Police detained three persons who were attempting to prevent the burning of the Quran in Malmo, while 20 cars, including 10 armored vehicles, transported Momika away from the area.

“The Swedish government is expected to respond responsibly to the most obvious demand of Muslims and monotheists by seriously adhering to fundamental principles of human rights and trying to promote ethics and peaceful coexistence among religions through practical and effective measures,” Kananni averred. 

Since the beginning of the current year, incidents of desecrating the Muslim holy book have been reported in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

The blasphemous acts, which were all authorized by the governments of the countries and protected by their security services, have sparked widespread outrage among Muslims throughout the Muslim world. 

In September, during a meeting with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, condemned certain nations for their “indefensible” backing for the burning of sacred texts under the slogan of free expression.

“In the world’s current situation that divine books are being desecrated, dialogue between the leaders and followers of the Abrahamic religions is more important than ever,” Amir Abdollahian insisted.

“The move by certain governments to issue permission for the desecration of religious sanctities and divine books under the pretext of freedom of expression is totally indefensible.”

Amir Abdollahian expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for denouncing the Quran burning and said that all European nations should do the same.

Addressing the annual UN General Assembly in New York, President Raisi of Iran held up a copy of the Quran denouncing the blasphemous burning of the holy book in Sweden and Denmark.

Amir Abdollahian said that “the fires of disrespect will not overcome the divine truth.”

Back in July, President Raisi once more criticized several European nations for approving the burning of the Quran, stressing that this goes against their claims of support for freedom of speech.

“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,” the cleric president remarked.
 
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 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.