Sweden’s ambassador expelled from Iraq over Quran dispute

Sweden’s ambassador expelled from Iraq over Quran dispute

Web Desk
July 21, 2023

Sweden’s ambassador was expelled from Iraq following a series of protests ignited by the desecration of the Quran in Stockholm on Thursday.

The tensions between the two nations escalated after a man, identified as Salwan Momika, not only burnt pages of Islam’s holy book in Sweden but also trampled on it outside the Iraqi embassy.

The recent incident led to a chaotic pre-dawn attack on Sweden’s Baghdad embassy by hundreds of outraged Iraqis. In response, the Iraqi government condemned the attack and retaliated by expelling Sweden’s ambassador.

Iraq further pledged to sever ties with Sweden and suspended the operating license of the Swedish telecom giant Ericsson.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani expressed his discontent, stating, “The decision was triggered by the Swedish government’s repeated permission for the burning of the Holy Quran, insulting Islamic sanctities, and the burning of the Iraqi flag.”

Notably, incidents of burning religious symbols and books in Sweden by far-right and other activists, citing free speech protections, have sparked protests in European countries in the past.

The situation resulted in a night of chaos at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. Followers of influential Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr mainly led the protesters, storming the embassy, clashing with riot police, and setting buildings on fire. In the wake of the unrest, Iraq’s government detained approximately 20 protesters.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom vehemently condemned the embassy attack, deeming it “completely unacceptable.”

He emphasized that, under the Vienna Convention, Iraqi authorities were obligated to protect diplomatic missions and personnel.

Various countries, including Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, have joined in condemning Sweden for allowing the Quran burning protests to occur.

Furthermore, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union expressed concern, finding it unacceptable that Iraqi security forces did not prevent the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.

The Quran burning controversy has gained attention from Muslim-majority nations and even Pope Francis, who condemned Salwan Momika’s actions.

The incident has also drawn attention to Sweden’s freedom of speech laws, as the courts overturned the initial rejection of applications to burn the Quran.

The situation remains tense as Iraq maintains its stance on the matter, and the international community closely monitors further developments between Iraq and Sweden.

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