Iran Claims Salman Rushdie And Supporters Are To Blame For His Attack—As It Denies Involvement In Stabbing

Topline

Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday said Salman Rushdie brought on the stabbing that left him with “life-changing” injuries by himself, according to multiple news reports, denying Tehran had any involvement in the attack on the author of The Satanic Verses, a book it considered so blasphemous it once issued a religious order to execute anyone involved in its publication.

Key Facts

Rushdie and his supporters are the only ones to blame for the attack on the author in New York on Friday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani reportedly said at a news briefing on Monday.

The author had exposed himself to widespread outrage after crossing the “red lines of 1.5 billion Muslims” with the publication of The Satanic Verses, Kanaani said.

Freedom of speech “does not justify” Rushdie’s insults to Islam, Kanaani added.

Kanaani also denied any Iranian involvement with the attack and said no one has the right to accuse Tehran of having links to the incident.

Iran has no other information about the assailant beyond what has been reported in U.S. media, Kanaani added.

News Peg

Rushdie was attacked on Friday at an event where he was supposed to deliver a lecture. He was seriously injured and rushed to hospital and he remains in critical condition. The host, who was next to Rushdie, suffered minor injuries. Zafar Rushdie, the author’s son, described his father’s injuries as “life-changing” in a statement Sunday but said he is “heading in the right direction” and had been taken off the ventilator helping him breathe. Rushdie’s suspected assailant, 24-year-old Hadi Matar, has been charged with attempted murder and assault. Matar has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Key Background

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, a religious edict, calling for the execution of Rushdie and others involved in The Satanic Verses. Many Muslims interpreted the novel, published in 1988, as blasphemous and mocking Islam and it sparked enormous controversy around the world. The fatwa, as well as the wider backlash, forced Rushdie into hiding for nearly a decade and has remained active despite efforts from Tehran to distance itself from the order. Numerous other people involved with the book’s publication have also been attacked—a number were killed—and bombs were planted outside several British bookstores owned by the publisher.

What We Don’t Know

Whether or not there was any Iranian involvement in the attack on Rushdie may be difficult to pin down. Tehran has a history of denying involvement or knowledge of extraterritorial operations, including attacks on dissidents, that Western governments and prosecutors link to the ruling regime.

Further Reading

Suspect In Salman Rushdie Stabbing Charged With Murder — Latest In History Of Attacks Against Those Involved In ‘The Satanic Verses’ (Forbes)

Iran says Rushdie and supporters to blame for attack (Reuters)