Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday lashed out at the satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo for printing a cartoon of prophet of Islam on the cover, describing it as a repeated provocative move.

“We condemn the French weekly’s provocative move, because it hurts sentiments of Muslims,” Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said in her weekly press conference on Wednesday.

“The abuse of freedom of expression in the West is unacceptable,” she underlined.

Her comments came in response to a Wednesday’s edition of the French magazine showing a cartoon on the cover that depicts Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) holding a "Je suis Charlie" sign.

The slogan in French "Je suis Charlie" ("I am Charlie") was widely used following the January 7 attack on the magazine.

Three million copies of Wednesday's edition have been printed.

The French magazine has repeatedly provoked Muslim ire by publishing cartoons mocking holy Prophet Muhammad.