Knighthood of Salman Rushdie urge and plead with all Muslims around the world to remain calm." He also stated his belief that Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" was also an insult to Christianity and had put "Her Majesty the Queen in a very difficult position". "Actually I was appalled to hear that Salman Rushdie had been given a knighthood, particularly when this man has been very divisive. This man – as you can see – not only provoked violence around the world because of his writings, but there were many people that were killed around the world and honouring the man who has blood on
Salman Rushdie easy to see him around the place." On 24 September 1998, as a precondition to the restoration of diplomatic relations with the UK, the Iranian government, then headed by Mohammad Khatami, gave a public commitment that it would "neither support nor hinder assassination operations on Rushdie." Hardliners in Iran have continued to reaffirm the death sentence. In early 2005, Khomeini's "fatwā" was reaffirmed by Iran's current spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message to Muslim pilgrims making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Additionally, the Revolutionary Guards declared that the death sentence on him is still valid. Rushdie has reported