Ayatollah Condemns Video But Iranian Protests Stay Calm
Compared to many elsewhere in the Middle East, Iranian demonstrations against the infamous anti-Islam video were as small and peaceful as the government's reaction was harsh. Seyed Hossein Mousavian writes that Washington should prioritize its image in the Islamic world and prohibit the defamation of religious beliefs.
Compared to Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Pakistan, demonstrations in Iran in the wake of dissemination of an offensive video about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were relatively small affairs.
The Iranian government organized some of the demonstrations, such as the one outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran (Switzerland represents the US in Iran). The protest recalled similar events outside the Danish embassy in 2005 after the publication of offensive cartoons in a Danish newspaper.
Other protests included ordinary Iranians, students and academics who condemned the movie as not only blasphemous but aimed at deepening divisions between Muslims and Christians. No one was killed or injured and there was no damage to diplomatic property. Only a few hundred or, at maximum, a few thousand people took part in each demonstration.
The situation was quite different in other Muslim countries, where local populations showed extreme rage that was not always reflected by official statements. In Iran, in contrast, the government reaction was harsh.
