On Thursday, the Swedish embassy in Baghdad was stormed by hundreds of people, who also set fire to the building. And on Saturday, another demonstration was organized in Iraq’s capital.
Just a few hours earlier, Iran’s leader Ali Khamenei attacked Sweden and the Swedish government in a series of posts on Twitter. He called the Koran burnings “dangerous” and claimed that “all learned Muslims believe that those who have insulted the Koran deserve severe punishment.”
“The Swedish government should know that by supporting the criminals who have burned the Koran, they have taken a stance of war against the Muslim world,” he wrote.
The expert: Clear escalation
According to Khamenei, it is the government’s “task” to hand over the people who burned the Koran to the judicial systems of Muslim countries.
Mohammad Fazlhashemi, a professor of Islamic theology, believes that the statement indicates an escalation of the rhetoric.
– There is a very clear escalation of the threat level and the conflict level, he says and continues:
– He has followers in several Muslim countries, such as Iraq and Lebanon. His message will be cabled out to these countries and it can trigger other actors. That is what is dangerous.
“Increasingly prioritized goal”
The Koran burnings and the strong reactions in several Muslims risk increasing the threat picture against Sweden, according to the Security Police.
– Manifestations where holy scriptures are desecrated and not least the reactions that follow can be threatening, says Adam Samara, press spokesperson for Säpo.
However, the terrorist threat level against Sweden remains at level 3 out of 5, i.e. elevated level.
– At the same time, we can state that after this year’s development of events, Sweden has gone from a legitimate goal to an increasingly prioritized goal, says Adam Samara.
SVT Nyheter is looking for Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M).