New York – Angry Iranian protesters denouncing the execution of Shia cleric Nimr Al-Nimr stormed and set on fire the Saudi Embassy in Tehran on Saturday evening.
Angry Iranian protesters denouncing the execution of Shia cleric Nir Al-Nimr stormed and lit on fire the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran on Saturday evening.
“The Saudi embassy is on fire. The information has been confirmed by several Iranian news agencies,” France24 news reported.
Shocking images and footage of protesters inside the Saudi embassy in Tehran launching petrol bombs have been posted by Iranian journalist Sobhan Hasanvand on his Twitter account.
As of 12:08 a.m. local time, several Molotov cocktails were thrown at the Saudi embassy, protesting Al-Nimr’s execution, which Iranians are calling a crime.
Photos of the embassy’s interior and the devastation have been posted by Hasanvand who was at the scene.
A video shows the attackers breaking chairs, windows, and destroying the physical property inside the Saudi diplomatic mission.
According to Iran’s Isna news agency, local police rushed to the scene and the situation inside the embassy is under control. However, several protesters remain outside of the protected embassy.
The Saudi Arabia flags at the embassy and consulate were seized by the mob. According to Hasanvand, the flag at the Mashad consulate was not burned due to its Islamic inscription, which Iranians seem to have respected.
In addition, dozens of angry protesters gathered outside the Saudi consulate in the city of Mashad, in northeastern Iran, on Saturday afternoon, and lit portion of it on fire.
Contrary to the Saudi embassy, protesters were unable to storm through the consulate’s building since the area is protected by a fence.
Images of the assault are going viral, showing the angry mob climbing over the fence and the consulate burning.
Saudi Arabia executed on Saturday 47 people over terrorism charges, the interior ministry said.
Most of them are Sunni Muslims convicted of involvement in al-Qaeda-linked terror attacks in 2003. They were reportedly affiliated with ISIS terrorist group.
Sheikh Nimr was a vocal supporter of the mass anti-government protests that erupted in Eastern Saudi Arabia in 2011.
“I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history,” Ayatollah Khatami, one of Iran’ senior Ayatollah, was quoted by Mehr news agency as saying.
“The crime of executing Sheikh Nimr is part of a criminal pattern by this treacherous family… the Islamic world is expected to cry out and denounce this infamous regime as much as it can.”
As of the time of writing, Saudi diplomatic staff is reported to have been evacuated before the torching of the embassy in Tehran and they are in safe condition.
