Both the embassy of Austria, holder of the European Presidency, and the Danish embassy in Tehran were pelted with petrol bombs and stones, resulting in serious damage.
French foreign minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, called on Arab countries to “talk with moderation” about the current protests, including violent protests in Lebanon, Syria and Afghanistan over the weekend which left four dead.
The EU has also stepped up current negotiations aimed at the release of a joint statement with the 22-member Arab League appealing for calm.
The Vatican condemned the publication of the controversial cartoons in an unsigned statement released by the Vatican press office at the weekend, reports Catholic Times.
The statement read: “The freedom of thought and expression, confirmed in the Declaration of Human Rights, can not include the right to offend religious feelings of the faithful. That principle obviously applies to any religion."
As outrage continues to spread across much of Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia, Denmark has urged its citizens to leave Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.
The call follows the announcement by Iran that it was considering a trade ban against Denmark which would see Danish-registered ships entering into Iranian ports laden with “heavy” fees, reports the FT.
“The Foreign Ministry is advising Danes not to travel to Indonesia and Danes already in Indonesia to leave the country," Ambassador Niels Erik Andersen told Reuters.The freedom of thought and expression, confirmed in the Declaration of Human Rights, can not include the right to offend religious feelings of the faithful. That principle obviously applies to any religion.
Vatican statement
"The security situation is at a level where the Foreign Ministry advises against being here."
Andersen also reported that Danish flags and pictures of the Danish prime minister have been burnt in three Indonesian cities, adding: “Some of the information I have provided to the Foreign Ministry is about threats we have received in the embassy, the threats that have been published against Danes and the activities going on in terms of demonstrations in front of our consulate."
The British government also denounced the weekend protests in the UK against the cartoon, which saw a small number of extremist Muslims glorify the terror attacks of September 11th and July 7th, as well as one protestor dress as a suicide bomber.
Downing Street described the protests as “completely unacceptable”, adding in a statement that, “The police should have our full support in any action they may wish to take.”
