Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tehran

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran (Persian: سفارت عربستان سعودی، تهران‎) was the diplomatic mission of Saudi Arabia in Iran until January 2016. Direct bilateral diplomatic relations between the two governments were severed following the mob attack and sacking of the embassy in January 2016.

Aftermath of the Saudi embassy in Tehran after it was set afire by Iranian protesters.

History

Prior to January 2016, the mission was headed by Hasan Ibrahm Hamad Al-Zoyed, ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran.[1]

After the execution of Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric, in January 2016 by the Saudi government, an angry Iranian mob attacked the Embassy in Tehran.[2]

The embassy was set on fire by an Iranian mob with a Molotov cocktail. The embassy was empty during the protests.[3][4]

Iranian police responded to the riot and arrested 40 people during the incident.[4][5][6][7] The day after, protests were held again by hundreds of Iranians in Tehran, and President Rouhani called the damage on embassy "by no means justifiable".[3]

Reaction
  • The Iranian Foreign Ministry has appealed for the public to calm and to respect diplomatic premises,[8]
  • The Saudi Arabia government severed the bilateral relationship between the two governments following the incident.

References
  1. embassies.mofa.gov.sa Diplomatic Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Iran
  2. Deborah Amos, Long Guarded And Reserved, Saudi Arabia Goes Big And Bold NPR January 12, 2016
  3. Cassandra Vinograd. "Iran Slams Saudi Arabia's Execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr as Backlash Mounts". NBC News. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  4. Yousuf Basil, Salma Abdelaziz and Michael Pearson, CNN (2 January 2016). "Tehran protest after Saudi Arabia executes Shiite cleric - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 3 January 2016.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Loveluck, Louisa. "Iran supreme leader says Saudi faces 'divine revenge'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  6. Staff writers. "Farsnews". en.farsnews.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  7. Ben Brumfield, Yousuf Basil and Michael Pearson, CNN (3 January 2016). "Mideast protests rage after Saudi Arabia executes Shia cleric al-Nimr, 46 others". CNN. Retrieved 3 January 2016.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Will Worley (3 January 2016). "Nimr al-Nimr execution: Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran 'attacked by protesters'". The Independent.

See also
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