Iran calls on OIC to criminalize desecration of Islamic sanctities

Amir-Abdollahian made the call on Monday at an emergency meeting of the 57-member OIC, which was convened at the request of Iraq and Saudi Arabia, following the recent burning of the copies of the Qur’an in Sweden and Denmark.

“Unfortunately, the growing trend of intolerance and violence against Islam and Muslims in some European countries has become a fundamental challenge due to the support of certain ruling factions,” Amir-Abdollahian told the meeting via video link.

The top Iranian diplomat said the sacrilegious and hateful act of insulting the Holy Qur’an, and the values and beliefs of more than two billion Muslims around the world was the manifestation of a “very worrying trend.”

Amir-Abdollahian underlined that such actions target the mutual understanding and the spirit of peaceful coexistence in the international community by undermining the cultural and religious commonalities among nations and disrespecting human rights.

The Iranian foreign minister expressed “deep regret” that some people insult beliefs and values under the pretext of supporting the right to freedom of speech and are officially backed by certain European governments.

“We firmly believe that preventing any repetition of insults to religions, including Islam, is in the best interest of everyone,” Amir-Abdollahian said.

“The recent bitter events in Sweden and Denmark call for a collective responsibility on the part of Islamic countries to exert pressure on European governments to swiftly put an end to such provocative actions and hold the perpetrators accountable and punish them within the framework of the law,” he added.

In his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian also proposed dispatching an OIC delegation to Sweden and Denmark to meet with their respective authorities, express the deep concern and sensitivity of Islamic governments and Muslim community regarding the recent offensive actions and demand “severe punishment” for those engaged in hate-mongering and anti-Islam activities.

Amir-Abdollahian also called on the OIC's jurisprudential agency and legal arm to urgently address the crucial issue with the aim of devising strategies to criminalize such sacrilegious acts at national, regional, and international levels both in real and virtual space.

The top Iranian diplomat underlined that Islamic governments and the Muslim community, in case of any repetition of such moves in any of those countries, will undoubtedly have no option other than reducing the level of diplomatic relations or even severing diplomatic ties and imposing sanctions against the country in question.

Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation called on the Swedish and Danish governments to take measures at an “official level” to prevent the recurrence of the desecration of the Holy Qur’an.

Hissein Ibrahim Taha, the OIC secretary general, renewed his call on the Swedish and Danish authorities to take formal measures and expressed his disappointment that “no measures had been taken in this regard so far.”

In a resolution, the OIC chief expressed “grave concern” over the increasing incidences of intolerance, discrimination and acts of violence in the world, and said attempts to spread Islamophobia are on the rise in many parts of the world, as evidenced by the increasing number of incidents of religious intolerance, negative stereotypes, hatred and violence against Muslims.

“Not taking measures by the authorities in Sweden and Denmark to prevent the recurrence of such acts is contrary to UN Security Council Resolution No.2686 (2023) adopted on June 14, 2023 pertaining to international tolerance, peace, and security,” Ibrahim Taha said.

The OIC head also condemned all attempts to desecrate the Qur’an as well as other holy books, values and symbols of Islam and other religions under the guise of freedom of expression, and called upon the international community to unanimously stand against such provocative attempts.

The resolution further urged member states to consider taking necessary measures in their interactions with countries where the desecration of the Holy Qur'an is occurring, especially Sweden and Denmark, including recalling their ambassadors, or making decisions in economic, cultural, or other fields to express their strong disapproval of the recurring disrespect towards the Qur'an.