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Iranian students protest against caricature by French weekly

Xinhua, January 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

A group of Iranian students held a rally in front of the French Embassy in Tehran on Monday to protest a recent caricature of the Prophet Mohammad by the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

The students carried placards on which it was written "I Love Muhammad" in different languages. They also chanted slogans against Israel and France.

In the statement issued at the end of the rally, the students urged the Iranian government to expel the French ambassador from Tehran and do not allow the envoy to return to the Islamic republic before an official apology.

On Wednesday, Iran Foreign Ministry condemned the publication of a new caricature of the Prophet Mohammad by the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo as "provocative."

The cover page of Wednesday's special edition of weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo showed the image of Prophet Mohammad holding the sign saying "I am Charlie ... (and) All are forgiven."

"We condemn the terrorist acts which have no affinity with Islamic teachings. We also condemn any provocative moves" against the sanctities of the Muslims, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.

"The new cartoon publication of the weekly (Charlie Hebdo) is insulting and will provoke the sentiments of the Muslim world," Afkham added.

Iran had already condemned the deadly attack on the magazine's staff last week by the Muslim extremists. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the attack which it called a revenge on the magazine for its earlier publication of the caricatures of Prophet Mohammad. Endit