The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Iraq orders expulsion of Swedish ambassador over Quran controversy

By Mustafa Salim and Louisa Loveluck

20 Jul 2023 · 4 min read

informed Summary

  1. Iraq is expelling the Swedish ambassador after that country’s government allowed a protest in Stockholm in which a copy of the Quran was desecrated.

BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister said Thursday that he was expelling the Swedish ambassador after that country's government allowed a protest in Stockholm in which a copy of the Quran was desecrated.

The order came after hundreds of young men, many of them supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in the early hours Thursday for the second time in the past few weeks, setting fire to a portion of the entrance hall and inflaming a growing political crisis.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content