The United States said Monday that a far-right activist's "repugnant" burning of the Koran may have been sabotage against unity in NATO, with Turkey again denouncing Sweden's membership bid.

Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan on Saturday torched the Islamic holy book in front of Ankara's embassy in Stockholm just as Turkey holds up Sweden's application to enter the transatlantic alliance.

"Burning books that are holy to many is a deeply disrespectful act," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

"It's repugnant," he said, also calling the incident "disgusting" and "vile."

Price said the burning was the work of "a provocateur" who "may have deliberately sought to put distance between two close partners of ours — Turkey and Sweden."

He "may have deliberately sought to have an impact on the ongoing discussion regarding the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO," Price said.

Price defended the stance of Sweden, saying that it upholds "freedom of association" and that an act "can be lawful and awful at the same time."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has Islamist political roots, voiced fury over the incident including Sweden's permission for the rally to take place.

Erdogan said that Sweden should not expect support on joining NATO, after he earlier demanded that Stockholm take action on Kurdish militants which Turkey considers terrorists.

Sweden and Finland last year applied to enter the Western alliance, shedding earlier reluctance to annoy Russia after their giant neighbor invaded Ukraine, which had unsuccessfully sought to enter NATO.

Under the rules of the alliance, all members must approve new members. Only Turkey and Hungary have not given their green light, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban promising that parliament will do so next month.

Iraqis injured in anti-Sweden protest after Koran burning
Baghdad (AFP) Jan 23, 2023 –

An Iraqi policeman and seven protesters were injured Monday during a rally outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad against the burning of a Koran in Stockholm, a security source said.

Swedish-Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan on Saturday set fire to a copy of the Muslim holy book in front of Turkey's embassy in the Swedish capital.

Iraqi police on Monday confronted more than 400 protesters outside the embassy when they came too close to the building, an Iraqi interior ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to reporters.

During the rally, which was organised by pro-Iran groups, protesters chanted, "No to Sweden, yes to the Koran". As police pushed the demonstrators back, violence erupted.

"Protesters threw stones and the police used their truncheons," the interior ministry official said, adding that seven protesters and a policeman were injured.

The protesters then scattered, an AFP photographer said.

Many Muslim countries have said they were outraged by the burning of the Koran, which Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned as "deeply disrespectful".

Paludan's actions in Stockholm have raised tensions with Turkey as Sweden courts Ankara over its bid to join NATO.

In neighbouring Syria, in the northern town of Al-Bab, which is under the control of Turkish soldiers, a few hundred people also demonstrated on Monday for the same reason, torching the Swedish flag and chanting anti-Swedish slogans.