Iranian students to hold protest against US "Koran burnings"

Iranian students announced Sunday they will hold a protest in Tehran against any burning of copies of the Koran in the United States, dpa reported.

Fars news agency reported that students from several Tehran universities are to gather on Monday in front of the US interest section of the Swiss embassy in northern Tehran.

The planned protest appears to be despite the fact that pastor Terry Jones called off his proposed Koran burning at the last moment.

Switzerland represents the interests of the US in Iran as the Tehran and Washington have no diplomatic ties for over three decades.

Further protest demonstrations are expected to be held in the coming days.

State TV in IRan on Sunday started its main news bulletin with the news reader saying "the holy Koran was insulted."

IRIB then showed footages of an English-speaking man with American accent burning a copy of the Koran - without however clarifying the date and location of the footage.

IRIB further said that although the US was against the initial plan by pastor Terry Jones, Washington was still responsible.

"Obama did not explicitly condemn the plan but just said that such a move would endanger the lives of US soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq," IRIB said in a commentary.

Jones, who leads an evangelical congregation of just 50 people at the Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida, had proclaimed Saturday as "International Burn a Koran Day" but later cancelled the initiative.

The Iranian government condemned the plan warned of "grave consequences" if the burning would take place.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki blamed former US President George W Bush, saying Bush's religious rhetoric after the September 11 attacks led to Islamophobia in the US.

Mottaki also criticized the current US administration and said it should fulfil its duties in guaranteeing the basic rights of American Muslims "for avoiding the spread of such inappropriate and devilish moves."