Iran wants EU debate on religion-related caricatures

February 14, 2006
Interfax

Yerevan - Iran is planning to ask the European Union to debate publications of caricatures satirizing holy figures of any religions, including the offensive Prophet Muhammad cartoons, Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki told a news conference in Yerevan on Tuesday.

"Today I will hold negotiations over the phone with the foreign minister of Austria, which currently holds the EU presidency," Motaki said."During the conversation, I will suggest including the issue of respect for all prophets of any religions in the EU agenda. This step will help somewhat pacify the protesters in the Muslim world," he said.

"The publication of the caricatures satirizing the Prophet Muhammad in the Danish press is an indication of religious intolerance. We believe that such publications are intended to cause a collision of civilizations," the minister said.

"Muslims all over the world have staged mass rallies to protest the offensive caricatures," Motaki said. He called on the Danish government to hold the authors of the cartoons to account.

Relations between predominantly Christian Armenia and Muslim Iran are a good example of friendship and mutual respect for various religions, he said.

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