Insulting sacred values under the pretext of freedom is unacceptable, the Istanbul Assyrian Ancient Foundation said on Saturday, after a far-right politician burned Islam’s holy book – the Quran – in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, authorized by the police.

"We strongly condemn and strongly protest the attack on the Holy Quran in Sweden, the attempts to burn it and those who allow it. It is never acceptable to insult sacred values for whatever purpose under the name of freedom," the association wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the president of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş on Sunday said, "I want to call out to the whole world from here: Get to know the Holy Quran, understand the Holy Quran. Be a friend to the Quran, and not an enemy."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned Swedish Ambassador to Ankara Staffan Herrstrom, who was told that Türkiye "strongly condemns this provocative act, which is a hate crime, that Sweden’s attitude is unacceptable, that Ankara expects the act not to be allowed, and insults to sacred values ​​cannot be defended under the guise of democratic rights."

Many countries, including Pakistan, Malaysia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, voiced similar condemnations.