TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazayee called on the UN to show a strong response to the recent desecration of the holy Quran in the US and prosecute those responsible.

Khazayee made the remarks in a meeting between UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Islamic countries’ diplomatic corps at the world body on Tuesday.

Representatives of Iran, Tajikistan, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, Palestine and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) met with Ban to discuss the burning of a copy of the holy Quran at a church in the US state of Florida.

During the meeting, Khazayee said that “Quran is a holy book that includes text of other holy books, so insult to Quran is an insult to all divine faiths”.

“Insult to Quran may lead to several consequences including violence, and that is an issue which can be prosecuted on the basis of the penal law,” Khazayee stated.

On March 20, American evangelical preacher Wayne Sapp set fire to a copy of Quran in a small church in Florida.

Sapp, a member of the Dove World Outreach Center, claimed that the holy book had been found “guilty” of crimes in the course of an eight-month trial and was therefore “executed.”

Large groups of Muslim nations and scholars have described burning the holy Quran as a hate crime and a blasphemous act.

They say such extremist acts are the end result of promoting Islamophobia in the United States.

Legal experts say that based on international laws, the US is duty bound to prevent the spread of religious hatred.

Terry Jones, the head of Dove World Outreach Center, who had planned to burn Quran last year on the anniversary of September 11, 2001 attacks, was also present during the event.

Jones’ plan had sparked outrage in the Muslim world with millions demonstrating across the globe to denounce the desecration of the holy book.

The plan was finally cancelled at the last minute when US officials warned him of the possible consequences.

The Vatican council had also blasted Jones’ scheme as an “outrageous and grave gesture.”

Source : Fars News Agency