Iran slams France over offensive cartoons

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Iran slams France over offensive cartoons

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Iran on Thursday condemned a French satirical weekly's publication of insulting cartoons.

20 September,2012 10:19 pm

According to f ISNA news agency, this was stated by Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast.The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns insults against Islamic sanctities, Mehmanparast said, adding that the offensive cartoons... are an organised plot... by Zionist circles.It is obvious that the principle of freedom of expression should never be used as a pretext to insult beliefs and religions. The French government is expected... to take the necessary actions to condemn this offensive material, he added.Earlier on Thursday, up to 200 people protested without incident in front of the French embassy in Tehran after weekly Charlie Hebdo published the cartoons, an AFP correspondent reported.The protesters chanted Death to France, as well as to Irans arch-foes Israel and the United States, as dozens of police deployed around the embassy compound in central Tehran prevented the crowd from approaching.They dispersed without incident after two hours at the request of the police, after burning American and Israeli flags.Diplomats at the embassy said the foreign ministry told them the demonstration by students had no official authorisation, although such gatherings in Iran cannot take place without a tacit nod from the authorities.The embassy was closed as a precaution, the diplomats told AFP.French embassies, consulates, cultural centres and schools in around 20 Muslim countries will be closed on foreign ministry orders on Friday for fear of violence following Muslim weekly prayers.The decision by Charlie Hebdo to print cartoons mocking the Prophet on Wednesday came as fresh protests erupted around the Muslim world over an anti-Islam low-budget film made in the United States.