Iran calls Quran burning by U.S. pastor ‘provocative’
TEHRAN, April 30 (MNA) - Iran on Monday strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the holy Quran by a U.S. priest, calling it a “provocative” move and demanded Washington take serious action to prevent the occurrence of such sacrilegious acts.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns this ridiculous, insulting and provoking act by a so-called U.S. priest in overt contempt of the holy Quran," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the burning was the result of "Islamophobia" in the West and said the world was "waiting an immediate, serious and clear response by the U.S. government to this act so it is never repeated."
The act by the extremist U.S. priest will most probably cause anger among people, especially Muslims, around the world. Analysts say such a behavior by the pastor is similar to those Muslim zealots who consider Christians as infidels.
The condemnation was in reaction to a Saturday ceremony in which Florida pastor Terry Jones set fire to the Muslim holy book and a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed (S), AFP reported.
Jones was behind a March 2011 burning of the Quran by his assistant that triggered violence in northern Afghanistan in which at least 12 people were killed.