The Iraqi government condemned the burning of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad today, Thursday, and notified its Swedish counterpart that it would sever diplomatic relations if the incident of burning the Holy Quran were to occur again, citing "freedom of expression" as a pretext. The statement noted that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani chaired an emergency meeting that included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior, the Head of the National Security Agency, the Deputy Head of the National Intelligence Agency, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations. This was in light of the Swedish government granting a permit to burn the Holy Quran and the incident of burning the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
The Iraqi government indicated that the meeting considered the invasion a security breach that needs immediate addressing and accountability for those responsible for security lapses. It was decided during the emergency meeting to refer those responsible for the burning of the embassy, who have been arrested, to the judiciary, and to refer negligent security officials for investigation and legal action against them. In this regard, the Iraqi government reiterated its commitment to the security and protection of all diplomatic missions and to confronting any attacks targeting them.
The Iraqi government emphasized that such provocative acts harm international agreements and norms that respect religions and beliefs, pose a threat to peace, and incite a culture of violence and hatred.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also condemned the burning of the Swedish embassy "in the strongest terms" and called for an urgent investigation into the incident. The ministry's statement indicated that the government ordered security agencies to conduct an immediate investigation to reveal the circumstances of the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Witnesses from Reuters reported that "protesters in Sweden kicked and damaged a book they claimed was a copy of the Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm today, but they did not burn it as they had previously threatened." Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad in the early hours of this morning, climbing its walls and setting it ablaze in protest against the anticipated burning of a Quran copy in Sweden.
An Iraqi government statement indicated that the country "requested the Swedish ambassador to leave Iraqi territory, in addition to recalling the Iraqi chargé d'affaires from the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm." Prime Minister Al-Sudani directed the Foreign Ministry to withdraw the Iraqi chargé d'affaires from the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm and requested the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad to leave Iraqi territory as a response to the repeated allowance by the Swedish government to burn the Holy Quran and insult sacred symbols.
The Iraqi News Agency reported that the Communications and Media Commission suspended the operating license of the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson in Iraqi territory due to the action of its country permitting the burning of the Holy Quran and the Iraqi flag.
In response, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström stated that the storming of the embassy in Baghdad is completely unacceptable, noting that "it is clear that the Iraqi authorities are failing in their responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and their staff." Billström confirmed that the government is in contact with high-level representatives in Iraq to express its discontent.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry's press office indicated that all embassy staff in Baghdad are safe and stressed that the Iraqi government must protect diplomatic missions.
Videos showed individuals gathering around the embassy around 1 a.m. local time, chanting slogans in support of Muqtada al-Sadr, and storming the embassy compound about an hour later. Protesters chanted, "Yes to the Quran." Subsequent video footage released later showed smoke rising from a building within the embassy compound, with some protesters standing on its roof. Reuters could not independently verify the footage's authenticity.
The EU condemned "in the strongest terms" the attack on the Swedish embassy in Iraq, expressing hope for the swift normalization of relations between Iraq and Sweden. The Arab Parliament President Adel ben Abdulrahman Al-Assoumi strongly condemned the Swedish authorities for permitting a hardliner to burn a copy of the Holy Quran for the second time and called for immediate international action to stop such assaults on the Holy Quran and to protect Islamic sacred sites, warning of the dangers of inflaming Muslim sentiments worldwide, as this would lead everyone into a cycle of violence.
The Arab Parliament emphasized the need for cutting diplomatic relations with Sweden, boycotting its products, and promoting a global economic boycott campaign led by Arab and Islamic nations to pressure Sweden to stop such violations, ensuring the sentiments and sacred symbols of Muslims are not taken lightly.
The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) noted that "the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad warrants condemnation. While peaceful assembly is a fundamental right, safety must be prioritized, and the Vienna Convention must be respected. Combating hate speech with violence benefits no one."
The United States condemned the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad related to plans to burn the Quran in Stockholm and criticized Iraqi security forces for failing to prevent the protesters from storming the embassy.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, "The right to peaceful assembly is a hallmark of democracy, but what occurred last night was an unlawful act of violence." He added that "it is unacceptable for Iraqi security forces not to intervene to prevent protesters from storming the Swedish embassy compound for the second time and harming it." Miller noted that "U.S. officials are in contact with their Swedish counterparts, offering support," emphasizing that diplomatic missions should not be targets of violence.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry announced today that it summoned the Swedish chargé d'affaires in Riyadh and delivered a protest note regarding the "burning and desecration" of the Quran, also condemning the planned burning of copies of the Quran in the Swedish capital.
Turkey also strongly condemned the "despicable attack" on the Quran outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm.
Protests were called for today by supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in protest against the second planned burning of the Quran in Sweden in just weeks, according to posts from a popular group on the Telegram app linked to the influential cleric and other media supportive of him. Al-Sadr had previously called for anti-Sweden protests and the expulsion of its ambassador after an Iraqi man burned the Quran in Stockholm.
Two major demonstrations were organized outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad following the Quran burning, with protesters reaching the embassy grounds during one of the protests. Several Islamic countries' governments, including Iraq, Turkey, the UAE, Jordan, and Morocco, issued protests over the incident, with Iraq seeking to retrieve the man to prosecute him.
The U.S. also condemned the incident but stated that Sweden's issuance of the permit supports freedom of expression rather than endorsing the action. The Swedish police charged the man who burned the Quran with inciting an ethnic or national group. The individual described himself in an interview as an Iraqi refugee seeking to ban the Quran.
