Two protesters burn Koran in front of Iraqi embassy in Denmark

Two protesters set fire to a copy of the Koran, Islam's holy book, in front of the Iraqi embassy in the Danish capital on Monday, risking a further deterioration of relations between the two countries.

Protests have raged across Iran and Iraq after Denmark and Sweden allowed the burning of the Koran under rules protecting free speech. Protesters in Iraq set alight the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday.

The two protesters were from a group that calls itself "Danish Patriots", which held a similar demonstration last week and live-streamed the events on Facebook.

Demonstrations over Koran burnings

Several thousand Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad on Saturday over the burnings in the two Nordic countries, in a gathering called by ruling Iraqi parties and armed groups, many close to Iran.

The organizer of Monday's demonstration in Copenhagen stomped on the Koran and set it alight in a tin foil tray next to the Iraqi flag on the ground.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that people who desecrate the Koran should face the "most severe punishment".

Iraq condemns the burning

Iraq condemned the burning of a copy of the Koran in front of its embassy in Denmark, the state news agency INA cited the foreign ministry as saying.

The ministry called on the authorities of countries in the European Union to "quickly reconsider so-called freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate," INA added.

Algeria summoned the Danish ambassador and the Swedish chargé d'affaires to condemn the continuation of the attacks on copies of the Koran, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Turkey strongly condemned the "despicable attack" on the Koran in front of Iraq's embassy in Copenhagen, and called on Denmark to take necessary measures to prevent this "hate crime" against Islam, the foreign ministry said on Monday.