A group of Basij students gathered in front of the French embassy in Tehran on Monday January 19 to protest the latest Charlie Hebdo magazine cover depicting the Muslim Prophet. Protesters called for the closure of the French Embassy.
The Tasnim News Agency reports that the protesters chanted slogans such as “Daesh (ISIS) and Charlie; have joined forces!”
Tehran MP Ahmad Tavakoli reportedly spoke to the gathering, criticizing the foreign ministry for not speaking out against the “insult to the Muslim Prophet”.
“The attack on the French magazine is the result of Western actions. Shouldn’t we have taken some position against the insult of the Prophet Mohammad?” Tavakoli told the gathering.
Top Iranian figures have condemned the deadly attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, which led to the death of 12 people; however, they have also blamed Western international policies for fomenting the fires of extremism.
