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Iran warned Switzerland on Saturday of “consequences” over areferendum banning the building of new mosque minarets and urged Bernnot to enforce the ban, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Thevote went “against the prestige of a country which claims to be anadvocate of democracy and human rights,” Foreign Minister ManouchehrMottaki told Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey in a telephone call,quoted by IRNA.
Mottaki said last week’s referendum would “damageSwitzerland?s image as a pioneer of respecting human rights amongMuslims’ public opinion.”
“Values such as tolerance, dialogue andrespecting others’ religions should never be put to referendum,” heargued, warning Switzerland of the “consequences” of anti-Islamic acts,IRNA reported.
The foreign minister hoped the Bern government would soon “takenecessary steps and find a constitutional way to prevent imposition ofthe ban.”
IRNA said Switzerland’s ambassador in Tehran wassummoned on Saturday before the foreign ministry, which protestedagainst the minaret ban which was backed by more than 57 percent ofvoters who cast their ballot on November 29.
Calmy-Rey said thereferendum was carried out against the will of the Swiss government,which would “use all its means to support Muslims rights,” the IRNAreport added.
The referendum on a constitutional ban on minarets was proposed by a rightwing Swiss party and had not been expected to succeed.
Besidesthe government, the ban was opposed by the bulk of Switzerland’spolitical parties as well as the economic establishment.
It drew widespread criticism from the United Nations, Muslim states, fellow European countries and the Vatican.