Iraq declares Sweden ambassador to Baghdad persona non grata

July 20, 2023 at 4:04 pm | Published in: Middle East Monitor

July 20, 2023 at 4:04 pm

Iraqi authorities, on Thursday, declared Sweden's ambassador to Baghdad 'persona non grata' following Swedish police permission for Quran burning in front of the Iraqi Embassy, according to the Iraqi Premier's office, Anadolu Agency reports.

Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, directed his country's Foreign Ministry to recall its charge d'Affaires in Stockholm.

The Iraqi Premier's office said on Twitter that Al Sudani also directed a request to the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad to leave the country.

The move came "in response to the repeated permission of the Swedish government to burn copy of the holy Quran, insult Islamic sanctities and burn the Iraqi flag."

Earlier on Thursday, Iraq threatened to sever its diplomatic relationship with Sweden if the desecration of Muslims' holy book, the Quran, occurred again in the future.

Protesters in Iraq stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad and set it on fire early Thursday in response to the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on its embassy in Baghdad, calling it a "serious violation" of the Vienna Convention.

READ: Quran, Iraq flag desecrated in front of Iraq Embassy in Sweden