Sweden Close Embassy, Condemn Iraq's Failure to Protect Diplomatic Missions

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Swedish authorities announced the closure of their embassy in the capital, Baghdad, and the suspension of its services until further notice. This decision was taken in response to the incident where the Swedish embassy building in Baghdad was set on fire during a demonstration organized by supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist movement.

The protests occurred on the eve of a planned rally in Sweden, where the organizer intends to burn a copy of the Quran before the Iraqi embassy.

In response to the attack on their embassy, the Swedish authorities also decided to summon the Iraqi Chargé d'Affairs to address the situation.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom expressed his concern and disappointment over the storming of his country's embassy in Baghdad. He stated, "It is clear that the Iraqi authorities have failed in their responsibility to protect diplomatic missions."

The Swedish embassy in Baghdad was set on fire during a dawn demonstration organized by supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist movement, on Thursday.

The attack on the Swedish embassy follows the controversial decision by Swedish authorities to permit a small gathering outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, further fueling tensions among the demonstrators.

The organizer behind the Quran burning, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden, previously burned pages of the Quran in front of Stockholm's most prominent mosque during Eid al-Adha on June 28.

Responding to storming the Swedish embassy, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "in the strongest terms" the burning of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Baghdad.

The ministry called for an "urgent investigation" to uncover the circumstances of the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable under the law.

"The Iraqi government has instructed the competent security authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take necessary security measures to identify the culprits and ensure they face legal consequences," the statement read.

The ministry also highlighted that attacks on embassies and diplomats "violate the Vienna Convention, emphasizing that the responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and personnel lies with the Iraqi authorities."

Amidst the escalating situation, a source told Shafaq News Agency that the Iraqi security authorities imposed strict security measures around the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after it was set ablaze by supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr. The authorities extinguished the fire and evacuated the embassy staff to a safe location without any reported injuries.

Later this morning, the Iraqi security forces reopened the Al-Jumhuriya and Al-Shuhada bridges.

However, another source told our Agency that Iraqi security forces detained several journalists covering the incident during the protests and storming of the embassy. According to a security source, the journalists working for Western media outlets were transferred to a security center without further details disclosed.

As the situation unfolded, approximately ten injuries were recorded among security forces, journalists, and protesters due to stone-throwing incidents during the dawn demonstrations. The source said.