Iran demands Sweden act against Koran burnings and free convicted prisoner

Iran’s foreign minister urged the release of Hamid Noury who was convicted of mass executions, but did not mention Swedish nationals incarcerated in Iran

Sweden voiced condemnation after a series of public burnings of the holy book, but said it cannot stop acts protected under laws on free expression

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Flames and a banner reading ‘No to Koran burning. Do not abuse freedom of expression’ in Malmo, Sweden earlier this month. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:03pm, 24 Sep 2023Updated: 7:09pm, 24 Sep 2023

Iran has demanded Sweden take action over Koran burnings before the two countries can exchange ambassadors again, and urged it to release a jailed Iranian citizen, the foreign ministry said Sunday.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed the Koran issue with his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the foreign ministry said.

“Regarding the exchange of ambassadors, we are waiting for good action on the issue of the Holy Koran in Sweden,” Iran’s top envoy told Billstrom in New York, the Iranian ministry said in a statement.

Sweden has seen a series of public burnings of the Islamic holy book. Stockholm has voiced condemnation but said it cannot stop acts protected under laws on free expression.

A demonstrator in Baghdad during a protest against the burning of a copy of the Koran and the Iraqi flag in the Swedish capital Stockholm. Photo: Reuters

Iran said in July it would not allow a new Swedish ambassador into the country after the mission of the last envoy ended.