Riyadh pressured Sweden to act against "disgraceful" Quran-related protests staged by an Iraqi refugee in Stockholm. The protests have triggered a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and several Islamic nations.
The Saudi Arabian government condemned the Stockholm protests involving Quran, Islam's holy book, and summoned Sweden's top diplomat in the kingdom over the incident.
Riyadh issued a "protest note that includes the kingdom's request to the Swedish authorities to take all immediate and necessary measures to stop these disgraceful acts," Saudi Foreign Ministry said late on Thursday.
Separately, Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran also summoned Sweden's ambassador to Tehran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it "holds the Swedish government fully responsible for the consequences of inciting the feelings of Muslims around the world."
Various other Muslim-majority countries and organizations have also sharply criticized Sweden for not stopping the protests that saw an Iraqi refugee burn a copy of the Quran last month and stomp on it on Thursday. The man is a self-described atheist. Also on Thursday, Iraq expelled the Swedish envoy and the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad was stormed by angry protesters.
Sweden on Friday announced that it was temporarily moving its Iraq embassy to Stockholm.