Iran’s FM condemns Quran burning plan

Iran’s foreign minister has condemned a US church’s plan to burn the Quran, warning of the reactions of Muslims and the followers of other religions.

Terry Jones, who heads the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, plans to torch the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Manouchehr Mottaki said on Thursday that the world would not have witnessed such incidents if previous offensive acts towards Islam received decisive action by Western governments.

The Iranian minister referred to insults to the Muslim holy book of Quran and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by British author Salman Rushdie and Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard.

“Considering the failure of policies based on promoting religious conflicts…that was manifested during the presidency of George W. Bush and was publicly declared by him after the September 11 incident… such actions will ignite the reaction of not only the world’s Muslims but the followers of other divine religions.”

The US officials should carry out their duties to guarantee the basic right of American Muslims and prevent the promotion of such offensive acts, Mottaki said.

The Iranian foreign minister described plans to torch the Quran as “soft war” schemed by Israel following its failures in the wars against Muslims.

Jones’ plans have drawn worldwide condemnation.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hit out at the Dove World Outreach Center’s plan, stressing that it is “disrespectful and disgraceful.”

The US State Department also called the move “un-American,” while the US Attorney General Eric Holder called the idea “idiotic and dangerous.”

EU Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton condemned the planned act, while Arab League chief Amr Moussa dubbed Jones a “fanatic”.

The Vatican council has blasted the Florida church’s scheme as a “deplorable act of violence.”

Many Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Indonesia have already held massive demonstrations against the US church’s plans.