The reaction in Iran to the murder of 12 people by Islamic extremists at the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which had been attacked previously for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, has been somewhat mixed. All have condemned the terrorist actions. But there have been nuances and equivocations in the media, reflecting Iran's political considerations and its own history with the treatment of Islam by European artists.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham condemned the attack, saying, “Any terrorist act against innocent civilians is foreign to the teachings of Islam.” However, Afkham also said it was unacceptable “to take advantage of freedom of speech” and to “insult divine religions and the symbols of these religions.”
