This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/04/iran-scores-own-goal-in-wake-of-saudi-arabia-executions

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Iran scores own goal in wake of Saudi Arabia executions Iran scores own goal in wake of Saudi Arabia executions
(35 minutes later)
Storming an embassy was once a symbolic act, initiated by ardent revolutionaries to make their voices heard and championed by the most senior officials in Iran’s Islamic republic. But the familiar act, now considered merely hooliganism, is coming back to bite the hands of the very people who endorsed it in the first place.Storming an embassy was once a symbolic act, initiated by ardent revolutionaries to make their voices heard and championed by the most senior officials in Iran’s Islamic republic. But the familiar act, now considered merely hooliganism, is coming back to bite the hands of the very people who endorsed it in the first place.
In the latest episode, thanks to Iranian hardliners who set ablaze the Saudi embassy in Tehran and attacked its consular offices in the eastern city of Mashhad, the focus is now being shifted from the Saudi execution of 47 people in a single day to an ensuing diplomatic crisis involving Tehran.In the latest episode, thanks to Iranian hardliners who set ablaze the Saudi embassy in Tehran and attacked its consular offices in the eastern city of Mashhad, the focus is now being shifted from the Saudi execution of 47 people in a single day to an ensuing diplomatic crisis involving Tehran.
This was the moment when Iran could have argued that Saudis were to blame for the growing sectarianism in the region, but instead it scored an own goal.This was the moment when Iran could have argued that Saudis were to blame for the growing sectarianism in the region, but instead it scored an own goal.
The focus is now less on the execution of the Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a serious critic of the Saudi monarchy, than it is on Saudi Arabia and its allies severing diplomatic ties with Tehran. Whether more countries will follow suit remains to be seen.The focus is now less on the execution of the Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a serious critic of the Saudi monarchy, than it is on Saudi Arabia and its allies severing diplomatic ties with Tehran. Whether more countries will follow suit remains to be seen.
Attacking a foreign diplomatic mission has a precedent in Iran. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, students – angry about the US support for the despotic Shah – stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days, sparking a crisis whose reverberations are still heard today. In 2011, another group attacked the British embassy in Tehran, ransacking offices and diplomatic residences, which resulted in Britain expelling all Iranian diplomats from London. Attacking a foreign diplomatic mission has a precedent in Iran. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, students – angry about US support for the despotic Shah – stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days, sparking a crisis whose reverberations are still heard today. In 2011, another group attacked the British embassy in Tehran, ransacking offices and diplomatic residences, which resulted in Britain expelling all Iranian diplomats from London.
Related: From hostage crisis to nuclear deal: prisoner and captor look back at the Iran-US cold war
Although the hostage crisis was originally started by revolutionary students without official consent, it was soon endorsed by the then supreme leader, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, who praised the perpetrators and labelled the embassy “a den of spies”. That incident has been a national day in the Persian calendar for more than three decades, celebrated annually to keep its memory alive.Although the hostage crisis was originally started by revolutionary students without official consent, it was soon endorsed by the then supreme leader, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, who praised the perpetrators and labelled the embassy “a den of spies”. That incident has been a national day in the Persian calendar for more than three decades, celebrated annually to keep its memory alive.
In 2011, however, when a mob attacked the British embassy in Tehran, Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took the unusual step of criticising it and saying that it was not right for the students to carry out the attack, even though, he said, their sentiments were justified.In 2011, however, when a mob attacked the British embassy in Tehran, Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took the unusual step of criticising it and saying that it was not right for the students to carry out the attack, even though, he said, their sentiments were justified.
As the Islamic republic tries to reintegrate into the international community, it finds itself hampered by the “death to this, death to that” chants at Friday prayers and the burning of enemies’ flags, which have become familiar pictures that unfairly dominate the world’s view of Iran. As the Islamic republic tries to reintegrate itself into the international community, it finds itself hampered by the “death to this, death to that” chants at Friday prayers and the burning of enemies’ flags, which have become familiar pictures that unfairly dominate the world’s view of Iran.
Iranian hardliners have refrained from setting fire to the Saudi flag because of the script written on it, which is an Islamic creed or Shahada, in praise of the prophet Muhammad.Iranian hardliners have refrained from setting fire to the Saudi flag because of the script written on it, which is an Islamic creed or Shahada, in praise of the prophet Muhammad.
Since the storming of the Saudi embassy at the weekend, Iranian officials have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from the attack. Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, whose administration is highly embarrassed by such attacks, strongly condemned it as “totally unjustifiable”, ordering the police to identify and arrest the perpetrators.Since the storming of the Saudi embassy at the weekend, Iranian officials have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from the attack. Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, whose administration is highly embarrassed by such attacks, strongly condemned it as “totally unjustifiable”, ordering the police to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
“The actions last night by a group of radicals in Tehran and Mashhad leading to damage at the Saudi embassy and consulate are totally unjustifiable, as the buildings should be legally and religiously protected in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian president was quoted as saying, according to AFP.“The actions last night by a group of radicals in Tehran and Mashhad leading to damage at the Saudi embassy and consulate are totally unjustifiable, as the buildings should be legally and religiously protected in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian president was quoted as saying, according to AFP.
“I call on the interior minister to identify the perpetrators of this attack with firm determination and introduce them to the judiciary … so that there will be an end to such appalling actions once and for all.”“I call on the interior minister to identify the perpetrators of this attack with firm determination and introduce them to the judiciary … so that there will be an end to such appalling actions once and for all.”
But as the Persian proverb says, the antidote has come too late.But as the Persian proverb says, the antidote has come too late.