Iran summons India envoy over insult against Prophet Muhammad

Following the insult against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in an Indian TV show, the Indian ambassador to Tehran was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General of South Asia on Sunday evening to receive the strong protest of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the insult.

The Indian ambassador to Iran expressed regret and called any insult to the Prophet of Islam unacceptable.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sanctioned two party spokespersons following an international outcry over insulting comments the pair are reported to have made regarding Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), according to party documents and local media.

BJP national spokeswoman Nupur Sharma was suspended from the party’s primary membership for comments made in a recent television debate, while the BJP’s Delhi media operation head Naveen Kumar Jindal was expelled, the Hindustan Times reported on Sunday.

In a statement on Sunday, the BJP said it respects all religions and “strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities of any religion”.

Apart from Iran, Qatar and Kuwait had also summoned India's ambassadors and handed over to them protest notes on the rejection and condemnation of the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).