BIRMINGHAM, England

Britain has condemned the desecration and burning of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm.

In a written statement issued by a spokesperson of UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the British government said such actions are “deeply insulting to Muslims around the world and completely inappropriate.”

Saying the UK denounces hatred on the basis of religion or belief, the Foreign Office said: “We will defend freedom of religion or belief for all, and promote mutual respect. We recognize the deep suffering experienced by Muslims around the world caused by the burning of the Qur’an.”

Arab and Islamic states decried Sweden’s permission for the desecration of the Quran.

On Thursday, a crowd of Iraqis stormed Sweden’s Embassy in Baghdad and set it ablaze in protest of the June 28 burning of a copy of the Quran by Salwan Momika, an Iraqi-born man who now lives in Sweden.

Many countries, including the US, Russia, Türkiye, Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Afghanistan, as well as other Islamic states, condemned the attack.

Following the storming of Sweden’s diplomatic mission, Momika desecrated another copy of the Quran by stepping on it and the Iraqi flag in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm.

In response to the repeated act, the Iraqi government warned Sweden that it would break diplomatic relations if such desecrations of the Muslim holy book continued..