Iran says Salman Rushdie and supporters to blame for his attack

Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed repeatedly at a public appearance in New York state, and his supporters are to blame for the attack, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson has said.

Freedom of speech did not justify Rushdie’s insults upon religion in his writing, Nasser Kanaani said in a press briefing on Monday.

Iran had no other information about Rushdie’s alleged assailant except what had appeared in media, he added.

On Monday, 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,” 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.”