Iraq assures foreign diplomatic missions of their security

BAGHDAD, (Reuters): The Iraqi government sought to reassure diplomatic missions in the country of their security on Saturday, saying it would not allow a recurrence of the storming of the Swedish embassy.

The statement from the Iraq Foreign Ministry came a day after hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, setting it on fire in protest against plans to burn a copy of the Quran in Stockholm. Iraq also expelled the Swedish ambassador.

 Iraqi protestors set Swedish embassy on fire over Quran desecration

“The Iraqi government is fully committed to the Vienna Convention that regulates diplomatic relations among countries and assures all resident diplomatic missions of their security and protection,” the ministry said.

“What happened to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Baghdad cannot be repeated, and any similar act will be subject to legal accountability,” it added.

On June 28, Salwan Momika, the 37-year-old refugee from Iraq who originally burned pages of the holy book in front of Stockholm’s central mosque. This sparked international outrage and tensions between Iran and Sweden.

Muslim nations outrage over Holy Quran desecration