Iran summoned India's Ambassadors and the key Gulf nations expressed their strong protest and condemnation of the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed.
In Tehran, Indian Ambassador to Iran Dhamu Gaddam was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General of South Asia on Sunday evening where a strong protest was registered by Iran.
The semi-government mehr news agency reported that the Indian ambassador expressed regret and called any insult to the Prophet of Islam unacceptable.
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The development comes ahead of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian's planned maiden visit to India since taking charge last year.
The controversial remarks also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world calling for a boycott of Indian products.
In New Delhi, the BJP suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their controversial remarks against the Prophet, as it sought to defuse a row over the issue.