The Koran burning may have fizzled, but Iran over-reacts anyway

Here is the IRNA article. IRNA is Iran's most official news-agency, but this one doesn't even attempt to couch the reaction in tolerant-sounding gloop about "respecting divine religions":

Thousands of angry university protestors staged a protest in front of Swiss embassy in Tehran on Monday to condemn desecration of Holy Quran which injured sentiments of the world Muslims.

The angry university students set fire to US flag and trampled upon a coffin postured as “liberal democracy”.

These students chanted various mottos and slogans such as Allaho Akbar (God is the greatest), Death to America, Death to Israel and Death to Zionists.

They also carried placards in support of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution vowing to sacrifice their lives whether the Supreme Leader issues decree of Jihad against infidels.

Fars News has three headlines on its main page about the "Satanic Step," including this one, informing us that "US Quran-Burning Plan Aims to Hide Real Causes of 9/11 Incident":

The US plan for burning Muslims' divine book on the 9/11 anniversary is a move to divert attention of the public opinion from the real causes of the incident, a high-ranking Iranian military official said on Monday.

"The event (burning the holy Quran) rather than being a reaction to Muslims is a tool to prevent the American people from gathering any further knowledge about the September 11 incident," Head of the Foundation for the Remembrance and Promotion of the Holy Defense's Values Brigadier General Seyed Mohammad Baqerzadeh told FNA.

Baqerzadeh reiterated that 9 years after the September 11 incident in 2001, the American people have grown more aware of the hidden facts behind the incident and realized that different US administrations have lied to them in the last 9 years to wage different wars in the Middle East. [...]

At IRIB, Larijani threatens a "crushing response":

Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said today that the US awaits a crushing response from world Muslims in case sacrilege continues against Islamic sanctities.

According to IRNA, in a message to his counterparts of Muslim states, he strongly criticized the insult to the holy Qur'an, saying if Washington does not abandon support for these savage acts, it must expect a crushing response from the Islamic ummah.

Dr. Larijani urged his counterparts of Muslim states to coordinate a decisive reaction to the desecration of the holy Qur'an in the US. [...]

The Majlis Speaker, warning US authorities of the impending doom if they fail to take appropriate measures on the issue, he said the recent sacrilege to the Islamic sanctities has hurt the religious and spiritual sentiments of over 1.5 billion Muslims all over the globe. [...]

Also at IRIB, a spokesman for Iranian Jews, demonstrating a clear grasp of what is expected of him, declares that the Koran is "as holy as Torah":

Representative of Esfahan's Jewish community, Sion Mahgerefteh, declared outrage of the province's community over desecration of Muslims holy book in several US states.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mahgerefteh said even raising the very issue of burning the Koran which is as holy as Torah and Bible, is blasphemous in view of all divine religions.

The statement added, Esfahan's Jewish community condemns this offensive act of a few unwise people who are only after sowing discord among religions without any knowledge about a solid association between divine faiths.

IRIB also has an article about how Iran's Christians condemn the "blasphemous action." Meanwhile, the NY Times reports that protests in Afghanistan have already claimed two lives. The irony, of course, is that if Muslims go into apocalyptic rage at the mere thought that a few non-Muslims in the West, denounced in advance by Western leaders, might disrespect them, then the West can hardly be guilty of any offense against mutual respect. It would be nice to see some examples of Muslim, or even Mainstream Media, ability to grasp this.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad