Iran summons Swedish envoy over Prophet drawing

TEHRAN, Aug 27 (Reuters) Iran today summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires to protest against the publication of ''a disrespectful'' drawing of Prophet Mohammad in a Swedish newspaper, Iran's state broadcaster said.

The Swedish embassy in Tehran confirmed it had received a protest at a meeting at the Iranian Foreign Ministry related to a drawing by a Swedish artist published last week in a regional newspaper, Nerikes Allehanda.

The newspaper cited freedom of speech for its decision to publish the picture but the move sparked a small demonstration outside its offices last Friday.

Swedish art galleries have decided against exhibiting the artist's drawings on the same topic on the grounds they could antagonise Muslims.

In early 2006, cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad first published in Denmark triggered a storm of protest from Muslims around the world, including Iran, when they were reprinted by other European newspapers.

REUTERS SY KP2216