TEHRAN (Tasnim) � A senior Iranian cleric condemned the publication of new cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, saying that these moves are examples of �modern ignorance�.



��Drawing the caricature of the Prophet, who is the symbol of dignity and ethnics� is an example of modern ignorance� Grand Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli said in a speech in the holy city of Qom on Thursday.


Iran�s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday lashed out at the satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo for printing a cartoon of prophet of Islam on the cover, describing it as a repeated provocative move.

�We condemn the French weekly�s provocative move, because it hurts sentiments of Muslims,� Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said in her weekly press conference on Wednesday.

�The abuse of freedom of expression in the West is unacceptable,� she underlined.

The Wednesday�s edition of Charlie Hebdo, which sold millions of copies, shows a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad holding a "Je suis Charlie"("I am Charlie") sign, a slogan widely used following the January 7 attack on the magazine, that left 12 people dead.

The French magazine has repeatedly provoked Muslim ire by publishing cartoons mocking holy Prophet Muhammad.

By Tasnim News Agency

 

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