Tasnim – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for refusing to condemn Charlie Hebdo’s insulting cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“Freedom of Expression? Or Institutionalized Hypocrisy? Instigate violence and hatred against 1.8 Billion Muslims by stereotypical defamation and desecration of their Holy Book and Prophet. Touch party line about events in recent history—repugnant as they are. Enough already,” Zarif tweeted on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Macron said it was not his place to pass judgment on the decision by Charlie Hebdo to publish a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Macron, speaking during a visit to Lebanon, said it was important for French citizens to be respectful to each other, and avoid a "dialogue of hate" but he would not criticize the satirical magazine's decision to republish the cartoon.

Charlie Hebdo has republished the same cartoons about the Great Prophet and Islam that prompted a deadly attack on the magazine in 2015.

The insulting move has drawn widespread condemnation from the Muslim world.