Two protesters burn the Koran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, July 24 (Reuters) – Two protesters set fire to a copy of the Koran, Islam’s holy book, outside the Iraqi embassy in the Danish capital on Monday, risking further deterioration in relations between the two countries.

Protests have broken out in Iran and Iraq after Denmark and Sweden allowed burning of the Koran under rules protecting free speech. protesters in iraq
light a fire the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday.

The two protesters belonged to a group calling itself “Danish Patriots,” which held a similar demonstration last week and livestreamed the events on Facebook.

Several thousand Iraqis proven in Baghdad on Saturday over fires in the two Nordic countries, at a meeting called by the Iraqi ruling parties and armed groups, many close to Iran.

The organizer of Monday’s rally in Copenhagen stomped on the Koran and set it on fire in a tinfoil tray next to the Iraqi flag on the ground.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on saturday that people who desecrate the Qur’an must face the “most severe punishment”.

Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Editing by Terje Solsvik; Edited by Nick Macfie

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