Tehran: Iran has denied any link with Salman Rushdie’s attacker, and instead blamed the writer himself, media reports said. Rushdie, 75, was left severely injured after being stabbed on stage at an event in New York state. He is now able to breathe unaided, BBC reported.
He has faced years of death threats for his 1988 novel, ‘The Satanic Verses’.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accused Iran’s state media of gloating about the attack, calling its behavior “despicable”, BBC reported.
Iranian media have extensively commented on the attack, calling it “divine retribution”. Iran’s state broadcaster daily Jaam-e-Jam highlighted the news that Rushdie might lose an eye following the attack, saying “an eye of the Satan has been blinded”, BBC reported.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani – giving the country’s first official reaction – said Tehran “categorically” denied any link, adding “no one has the right to accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
However, he said freedom of speech did not justify Rushdie insulting religion in his writing, BBC reported. “In this attack, we do not consider anyone other than Salman Rushdie and his supporters worthy of blame and even condemnation,” the spokesman said during his weekly press conference in Tehran.
“By insulting the sacred matters of Islam and crossing the red lines of more than 1.5 billion Muslims and all followers of the divine religions, Salman Rushdie has exposed himself to the anger and rage of the people.”
Iran had no other information about Rushdie’s assailant except what has appeared in media, he added, BBC reported.
A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was “ludicrous” to suggest Rushdie was in any way to blame for the attack, adding it “was not just an attack on him, it was an attack on the right to free speech and expression”. (IANS)
JK Rowling receives death threats
British author J K Rowling, who is known for the ‘Harry Potter’ series, recently received a public threat from an Iran-backing extremist, after she condemned the attack on fellow British author Salman Rushdie, reports Deadline.
Rowling, who was previously targeted by some trans activists for her beliefs on gender – had published a post expressing her horror at the attempt on Rushdie’s life, when one responder threatened her.
Rowling earlier wrote on Friday night: “Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.” Meer Asif Aziz, described in his Twitter bio as a student, social activist, political activist and research activist’ responded: “Don’t worry you are next.”
