Iranian FM spokesman rejects link to Rushdie attack

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanani has rejected speculation that Iran was behind the assassination attempt on Indian-born British-American novelist Salman Rushdie. 

"We also heard this story from the media and the only thing I can say is that in the story of the attack on Salman Rushdie, I do not see anyone else to blame or even condemn other than his supporters," the IRNA news agency quoted Kanani as saying, during his weekly news conference on 15 August. 

Kanani said that Rushdie had "crossed the line" of "one and a half billion Muslims" as well as "followers of divine religions", a term usually used in Iran for Abrahamic religions, by "insulting Islamic sanctities", and caused their anger.

Kanani "officially" rejected any link between Iran and the attacker, saying that "nobody has a right to accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran".

Salman Rushdie, 75, was left severely injured after being stabbed on stage on August 12 at an event in New York state, USA. The suspect Hadi Matar, is accused of running onto the stage and stabbing Rushdie at least 10 times in the face, neck and abdomen.

The novelist was forced into hiding after his novel, The Satanic Verses, was published in 1988. Many Muslims reacted with fury to it, arguing that the portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad was a grave insult to their faith.

He faced death threats and the then-Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa calling for his assassination, placing a $ 3 million bounty on the author's head.