New Delhi has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Tehran after the Iranian foreign ministry condemned Indian action against protesters in Jammu and Kashmir. These demonstrations had been provoked by an Iranian channel, Press TV, which showed clips of alleged desecration of the Koran in the US.
While India banned the channel from being broadcast in J&K after over 20 people were killed in the protests on September 13, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast spoke out against the Indian government five days later and went to the extent of saying that to counter such protests could be “interpreted as supporting acts of sacrilege.”
