Iran denies ties to attack on Salman Rushdie

Nasser Kanaani, in his weekly press conference on Monday, categorically rejected Iran’s ties to the perpetrator of the attack, 24-year-old Hadi Matar.

“In the attack on Salman Rushdie in the US, we do not consider anyone worthy of blame and even condemnation other than (Rushdie) himself and his supporters,” the spokesperson said.

Kanaani highlighted that Salman Rushdie exposed himself to the public rage by insulting the sanctities of Islam and by crossing the red lines of over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world as well as the red lines of all of the followers of divine religions.

He said no one has the right to accuse Iran over the incident, adding the insult and the subsequent support was an affront to all divine religions and prophets, which is not defensible.

Indian-born Salman Rushdie, the author of the blasphemous novel Satanic Verses, was stabbed by Matar on stage before delivering a lecture at an event on Friday and was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

Rushdie’s novel triggered an outcry across the Muslim world, including in Iran.