Iran calls for trial of Qur’an burners

Iran has called on the United Nations to condemn a church in the US state of Florida for burning a copy of the Muslim holy book of Qur’an.

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaei said on Friday the incident offended Muslims all around the world, underling that such acts promote violence.

The Iranian official also noted that those who planned and carried out the desecration should be tried by judicial authorities.

On March 20, American evangelical preacher Wayne Sapp set fire to a copy of Qur’an in a small church in Florida.

Sapp, a member of the Dove World Outreach Center, claimed that the holy book had been found “guilty” of crimes in the course of an eight-month trial and was therefore “executed.”

Several Muslim scholars have described burning the holy Qur’an as a hate crime and a blasphemous act.

They say such extremist acts are the end result of promoting Islamophobia in the United States.

Legal experts say that based on international laws, the US is duty bound to prevent the spread of religious hatred.

Terry Jones, the head of Dove World Outreach Center, who had planned to burn Qur’an last year on the anniversary of September 11, 2001 attacks, was also present during the event.

Jones’ plan had sparked outrage in the Muslim world with millions demonstrating across the globe to denounce the desecration of the holy book.

The plan was finally cancelled at the last minute when US officials warned him of the possible consequences.

The Vatican council had also blasted Jones’ scheme as an “outrageous and grave gesture.”