Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Iran denies role in Salman Rushdie attack but claims author is to blame

Iran denies role in Salman Rushdie attack but claims author is to blame

Foreign ministry spokesperson blames author and supporters after stabbing that left him with ‘life-changing’ injuries

Iran has denied having any role in the attack on Salman Rushdie but claimed the author had only himself to blame for crossing a “red line” over Islam in his writings.

Rushdie’s life was reported to be out of danger but he was said to have sustained “life-changing” injuries after being stabbed 10 times when he was speaking at an event on Friday in Chautauqua, New York.

Hadi Matar, the 24-year-old New Jersey man arrested at the scene, was charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault with a weapon.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, issued a statement on Sunday accusing Iran of encouraging violence against Rushdie, an Indian-born dual US and UK citizen. He was formally condemned to death by decree, or fatwa, in 1989 by Iran’s then supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, after the publication of his book, The Satanic Verses, deemed to be blasphemous by Iran and other Islamic governments.

“Specifically, Iranian state institutions have incited violence against Rushdie for generations, and state-affiliated media recently gloated about the attempt on his life,” Blinken said. “This is despicable.”

Vice News cited unnamed European and Middle Eastern intelligence officials as saying that Matar had been in direct contact through social media with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The report, however, added that there was no evidence Iranian officials had orchestrated the attack.

Hadi Matar, 24, arrives at the Chautauqua county courthouse on Saturday.


On Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, said the Tehran government categorically denied any link, declaring: “No one has the right to accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“In this attack, we do not consider anyone other than Salman Rushdie and his supporters worthy of blame and even condemnation,” Kanaani said at 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,” Kanaani added.

Khomeini’s fatwa was never withdrawn, and was upheld by his successor and Iran’s current supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. In 2019, Twitter suspended Khamenei’s account for a tweet in which he described Khomeini’s fatwa against Rushdie as “solid and irrevocable”.

“Bravo to this courageous and duty-conscious man who attacked the apostate and depraved Salman Rushdie in New York,” Kayhan, a hardline paper whose editor is appointed by Khamenei, said in an editorial. “Let us kiss the hands of the one who tore the neck of the enemy of God with a knife.”

A spokesperson for the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, said Iran’s stance was “ludicrous”.

“Clearly it’s ludicrous to suggest that Salman Rushdie was in any way responsible for this abhorrent attack on him,” they said.

“This was not just an attack on him, it was an attack on the right to free speech and expression. And the UK government stands both by him and his family but equally we will stand in defence of free speech around the world.”

The shadow UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, also condemned the comments, saying they were “truly sickening”.

The attack took place as the future of a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers hangs in the balance. Iran has said it will give a formal response by the end of Monday to an EU proposal on how to revive the deal, which has steadily disintegrated since Donald Trump withdrew the US in 2018.

“Our answer will be given to the EU tonight at 12 midnight,” the foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said. “There are three issues that, if resolved, we can reach an agreement in the coming days.”

US conservatives have called on the Biden administration to withdraw from the negotiations after the attack on Rushdie, and the unveiling of charges last week against an IRGC member alleged to have plotted to assassinate Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton.

The Biden administration has insisted, however, that the nuclear issue should be treated separately from other points of conflict between the two nations.

Rushdie was stabbed three times in the neck, four times in the stomach, once in the right eye and once in the chest, and had a slash to his right thigh.

“The injuries are severe,” his literary agent, Andrew Wylie, said in an email to the Guardian. “But his condition is headed in the right direction.”

In a statement on behalf of the family, the writer’s son, Zafar Rushdie, said: “We are extremely relieved that yesterday he was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen and he was able to say a few words.

“Though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
0:00
0:00
Open
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
×