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Tehran Condemns Koran Burning By U.S. Clergyman


Iran has denounced the April 28 burning of copies of the Koran by U.S. pastor Terry Jones in Florida.

A statement issued by Iran's Foreign Ministry on April 29 called the act "insulting and provocative" and urged the United States to apologize to the Muslim world.

Jones burned the Korans and a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad to protest the imprisonment in Iran of Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

Nadarkhani, 32, was arrested in 2009 and was sentenced to death for apostasy in connection with his conversion.

His death sentence was overturned by the Iranian Supreme Court in February.

The Pentagon had asked Jones to refrain from burning the Korans out of concern for the safety of NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Based on reporting by dpa, Fars, and AFP

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