Thousands of Iraqis Protest Quran Burning in Sweden outside Embassy in Baghdad

Several thousand Iraqis gathered near the Swedish embassy in the capital city of Baghdad, protesting the burning of a Quran in Stockholm The demonstrators chant slogans in support of the Quran and Islam while holding portraits of Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr and several other religious figures.

The protesters also burned a rainbow flag and displayed a sign that reads, "The Holy Quran in Our Hearts."

The desecration and burning of the Quran in Stockholm during the celebration of Eid al-Adha has sparked widespread outrage in many countries around the world. Iraq demanded that the Swedish authorities extradite the immigrant who committed the act in order to stand trial. On Thursday, dozens of Iraqis gathered for a protest outside the country's embassy in Baghdad. Algeria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Uzbekistan, the Secretary-General of the Arab League (AL), Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Al-Budaiwi, have also condemned the incident. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Jordan and the UAE summoned Swedish ambassadors to deliver protest notes.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the impunity of those involved in this incident could lead to unpredictable catastrophic consequences, and the international community must stand against such unlawful actions. During his visit to the historic Juma Mosque in Derbent, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that disrespect for the Quran is a crime in Russia, unlike in some other countries. The head of state emphasized that Russia will always abide by these legislative rules.