ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Saturday received a phone call from his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom to discuss the recent burning of a copy of the Quran by an Iraqi national in Stockholm, which has sparked angry reactions in Iraq and across the Muslim world.
“Mr Fuad Hussein expressed the strong condemnation and denunciation of the republic of Iraq over this heinous act which represents a grave insult to the religious sanctities,” read a statement from the Iraqi foreign ministry.
On Wednesday, as Muslims were celebrating the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee, stomped on and burnt pages of the Islamic holy book outside a mosque in Stockholm. Swedish authorities had authorized the protest under the principles of freedom of expression and assembly.
Hussein told Billstrom that burning the Quran should not fall under the context of freedom of expression because it incites violence, sows hatred, supports Islamophobia, and is a dangerous provocation. He asked Sweden to hand over Momika to be tried under Iraqi law.
Billstrom expressed his “deep regrets” and denounced Momika’s actions. He said the Swedish government strongly rejects such anti-Islamic acts, according to the Iraqi statement.
The Swedish foreign ministry on Thursday released a statement rejecting “the Islamophobic act committed by an individual in Sweden” and said the act does not reflect the opinions of the Swedish government.
Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets on Thursday and Friday, staging angry protests and storming the Swedish embassy at the urging of firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. They called for the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador and the extradition of Momika.
On Saturday, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union’s diplomatic service, condemned attacks against Swedish diplomatic premises and called for calm and restraint, while “strongly rejecting” the burning of a Quran.
“This act in no way reflects the opinions of the European Union,” read the statement. “Burning the Quran or any other Holy Book is offensive, and disrespectful and a clear act of provocation. Manifestations of racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance have no place in Europe,” it said.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kistersson called the breaching of his country’s embassy in Baghdad “unacceptable” and urged calm and reflection in Sweden. “Just because some things are legal, they are not necessarily appropriate,” he said on Friday.
Updated at 7:30 pm with the statement from EEAS
