Iraq said on Monday it has taken legal measures to sue the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat over its fabricated report on the religious ceremonies in Iraq.

Iraqi foreign ministry said that Baghdad took legal measures to file a lawsuit in British courts against the Saudi daily.

“Such mean attempts by some media outlets which adopt sectarian agendas won’t be able to distract the pure image of millions of pilgrims who flock to the holy city of Karbala,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Saudi newspaper caused uproar in Iraq after publishing a fabricated report, allegedly reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report has been viewed as fueling sectarian tensions.

WHO on Sunday denied the statement attributed to it, which it said appeared earlier this week, and which was rebuffed by the organization on Friday.

Source: Agencies