Iraq Expels Swedish Ambassador as Quran Desecration Dispute Boils Over"

The diplomatic dispute between Iraq and Sweden over the recent desecration of the Quran in Stockholm has intensified, leading to the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Baghdad. The Iraqi government has also withdrawn its charge d'affaires from Sweden and suspended business with Swedish companies. Protests erupted in the Iraqi capital, where demonstrators stormed the Swedish embassy for the second time and set fire to its compound.

The protests were triggered by the permission granted by Swedish police to an Iraqi Christian refugee to burn a Quran in Stockholm. While the refugee did desecrate the book, he did not set it on fire. However, the incident has sparked outrage among Muslims, who consider the Quran to be the word of God and deeply offensive to see it intentionally damaged. Sweden's foreign minister condemned the protests as completely unacceptable, while Iraq strongly condemned the attack on the Swedish embassy. Iraq had warned Sweden about severing diplomatic relations if the Quran burning was allowed to proceed.

In response to Sweden's repeated permission for Quran burning and insults to Islamic sanctities, Iraq's prime minister ordered the Swedish ambassador to leave the country and suspended work permits for Swedish businesses operating in Iraq. Several Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, have also condemned the protests in Sweden. The burning of religious texts has drawn attention to Sweden's freedom of speech laws and sparked a debate about balancing freedom of expression with respect for religious beliefs. Swedish police initially rejected the applications to burn the Quran but were overruled by the courts, citing the legal right to freedom of assembly.

However, for Muslims, burning the Quran represents a blasphemous act and has historically incited protests across the Muslim world. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has suspended all activities of Swedish organizations in response to the recent Quran burning. The incident also complicates Sweden's relationship with Turkey, as the far-right activist's protest outside the Turkish Embassy earlier this year led to tensions between the two countries. The desecration of the Quran has also brought attention to the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose supporters were involved in the embassy attack.

Al-Sadr organized demonstrations against the American occupation after the 2003 US-led invasion and later fought against the Islamic State group. Despite announcing his withdrawal from politics last year, his party won the largest share of seats in the parliamentary elections, although not enough for a majority government. The tensions between Iraq and Sweden reflect the sensitivity surrounding religious symbols and the challenges faced by countries in protecting freedom of speech while respecting religious sentiments.