Crowds of protesters arrive in Baghdad.. and Iraq pledges to protect diplomats
Despite international condemnations, the repercussions of the two incidents of burning a copy of the Qur’an and kicking it with the foot did not stop Stockholm.
Despite Iraq’s decision to expel the Swedish ambassador from its territory, withdraw the Iraqi charge d’affaires, and ban dealing with all Swedish companies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today, Saturday, that it will not allow a repeat of the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after it was stormed and set on fire.
Protesters in central Baghdad
The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, said in a press statement that what the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Baghdad was subjected to is an act that cannot be repeated, and that any similar act will be subject to legal accountability.
Al-Sahaf also stressed Iraq’s commitment to the Vienna Convention to regulate diplomatic relations between countries, noting that the Iraqi government is responsible for providing protection and security for diplomatic staff working in all missions.
In a related context, crowds of demonstrators gathered in Baghdad, most of them from the Sadrist movement, today, Saturday, to protest against the Koran and the Iraqi flag in Denmark.
Supporters of an extremist group threw the Iraqi flag and the Qur’an on the ground and stepped on them. They also broadcast the attack that targeted the Qur’an live, through the group’s account on the Facebook platform, which sparked widespread anger.
Condemnation and denunciation
It is noteworthy that demonstrations erupted in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad early last Thursday to protest against the burning of a copy of the Qur’an in Stockholm, and protesters set fire to the embassy, which prompted it to close its doors to visitors.
The Iraqi government announced the complete severance of diplomatic relations with Sweden, against the background of the latter’s permission to burn a copy of the Koran and the Iraqi flag in Stockholm.
The government condemned the incident, stressing that such provocative actions offend international covenants and norms of respect for religions and beliefs.
