Salman Rushdie, supporters to blame for neck stabbing – Iran
Admin l Monday, 15 August 2022
IRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry has said that the Indian born American author of the book, Satanic Verses, Mr. Salman Rushdie and his supporters are to be blamed for his attack in New York, United States.
“We do not consider anyone other than Salman Rushdie and his supporters blameworthy”, he stated.
The writer was attacked on Friday, August 12 in New York as he walked up the stage to deliver his talk on “Banned Books and the Cities of Asylum” at the Chautauqua Institute in Western New York.
Salman Rushdie was stabbed many times in the neck by assailant and was flown via air ambulance to one of the local hospital for medical attention.
Speaking on the attack, Spokesman of Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani said that the Iranian government has nothing to do with the attack and that it has no link with the attacker.
He said that Salman Rushdie and his supporters are to blame for the attack.
The controversial book, Satanic Verses was published by Salman Rushdie in 1988 and it provoked wide condemnation among Muslim community, leading to the ban of the book in Iran.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, in 1989, issued a Fatwa on the author, calling for his assassination.
Iran and other allies also placed a bounty of nearly USD 4 million for information leading to his whereabout and eventual assassination.