NNA -nbsp;An activist has desecrated the Quran in Stockholm for the second time in weeks, defying condemnation fromnbsp;Iraqnbsp;wherenbsp;Sweden#39;snbsp;ambassador was expelled in protest.
Iraq asked the ambassador to leave its territory and recalled its chargeacute; drsquo;affaires from Stockholm during the stunt outside its diplomatic mission in Sweden.
Activist Salwan Momika kicked the Quran around on a patch of grass as police looked on, after they granted him a permit to hold a gathering outside the Stockholm embassy. The holy book was not set on fire.
A crowd had earlier stormed the Swedish embassy in in Baghdad and started a fire in protest at Sweden#39;s stance on burning the Quran.
Baghdad had said it was prepared to cut diplomatic ties with Sweden over the sensitive issue.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani quot;has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to withdraw the Iraqi charge d#39;affaires from the embassy in the Swedish capital, Stockholmquot;, said his spokesman Yahya Rasool.
quot;He also directed the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad to leave Iraq, in response to the Swedish government#39;s repeated permission to burn the Quran,quot; Mr Rasool said on Twitter.
Mr Al Sudani said Iraq had informed Sweden through diplomatic channels that quot;any recurrence of the incident involving the burning of the Holy Quran on Swedish soil would necessitate severing diplomatic relationsquot;.
Sweden#39;s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom accused Iraq of failing to protect its embassy staff in Baghdad.
ldquo;Iraqi authorities have an unequivocal obligation to protect diplomatic missions and diplomatic personnel under the Vienna Convention. It is clear that the Iraqi authorities have seriously failed in this responsibility,rdquo; he said.–Agenciesnbsp;
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