Muslim leaders addressing the United Nations on Tuesday berated the West over burnings of the Quran, denouncing the acts protected as free speech as discriminatory.
Sweden has seen a series of burnings of the Islamic holy book, with the government voicing condemnation but saying it cannot stop acts protected under laws on free expression.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who has put pressure for months on Sweden over its welcome to Kurdish activists Turkey sees as terrorists – said that Western countries were seeing “a plague” of racism including Islamophobia.
Mr Erdogan in July said he would lift a blockade on Sweden’s bid to join Nato but the Turkish Parliament has not yet ratified the country’s membership.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held up a Quran at the UN rostrum.
“The fires of disrespect will not overcome the divine truth,” Mr Raisi said, accusing the West of seeking to “divert attention with the tool of freedom of speech.”
