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Iranian Military Official Condemns Attacks on Saudi Embassy and Consulate Iranian Military Official Condemns Attacks on Saudi Embassy and Consulate
(35 minutes later)
TEHRAN — A senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its Consulate in Mashhad, calling it an “ugly, unjustifiable act.” TEHRAN — A commander of Iran’s hard-line military group on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its Consulate in Mashhad as an “ugly, unjustifiable act,” while the country’s president said it should not distract from Saudi Arabia’s execution of a dissident Shiite cleric.
The commander, Brig. Gen. Mohsen Kazemeini of the Muhammad Rasulullah Corps, joined other representatives of Iran’s hard-liners in condemning the attacks on Saturday, calling them “totally wrong.” The attacks prompted Saudi Arabia to sever ties with Iran. The commander, Brig. Gen. Mohsen Kazemeini of the Tehran unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, joined other representatives of Iran’s hard-liners in condemning the attacks, calling them “totally wrong.”
His statement — the most prominent so far by a representative of Iran’s hard-liners — was one more indication of the fallout from the street violence, which has come to overshadow the event that precipitated the anger: Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute a dissident Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. His statement — the most prominent so far by a representative of Iran’s hard-liners — was one more indication of the fallout from the street violence on Saturday that followed the execution of the cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
By criticizing the ransacking of the diplomatic buildings, the hard-liners might be indicating regret that they did not do more to keep the protests under control, according to political analysts. The condemnations could also be a sign that the hard-liners have been taken aback by the vehemence of the international response.By criticizing the ransacking of the diplomatic buildings, the hard-liners might be indicating regret that they did not do more to keep the protests under control, according to political analysts. The condemnations could also be a sign that the hard-liners have been taken aback by the vehemence of the international response.
On Tuesday, Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Iran, becoming the latest country to side with Saudi Arabia in a widening diplomatic feud with Tehran, which put the United States in a bind and threatened to set back the prospects for peace in Syria. President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who had denounced the storming of the Saudi diplomatic buildings, tried on Tuesday to refocus attention on Sheikh Nimr’s execution.
Separately on Tuesday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of Turkey urged both sides to “act with common sense.” “To cover up the crime of beheading a religious leader by the country, the Saudi government initiated a strange move and severed its political ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr. Rouhani said in a meeting with the Danish foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, in Tehran.
“Such actions can never muffle that big crime,” the state news agency IRNA quoted Mr. Rouhani as saying.
Mr. Rouhani, who has been struggling to balance the demands of hard-liners at home with his efforts to improve relations abroad, added that “beheading should not be a response to criticism,” and that “it is natural that the crime against human and Islamic rights will cause public reaction.”
Europe has expressed widespread revulsion at 47 executions Saudi Arabia recently carried out — including that of Sheikh Nimr — and Mr. Rouhani told Mr. Jensen, “I hope that European states, which always react to human rights issues, will act in accordance with their human rights obligations in this regard as well.”
The extent to which the attacks on the diplomatic buildings were carried out with official approval remains unclear.The extent to which the attacks on the diplomatic buildings were carried out with official approval remains unclear.
While some Iranian newspapers had hinted that the Revolutionary Guards had partly organized the events, General Kazemeini, the group’s leading commander in Tehran, denied involvement by his forces and those of the Basij, a voluntary paramilitary organization.While some Iranian newspapers had hinted that the Revolutionary Guards had partly organized the events, General Kazemeini, the group’s leading commander in Tehran, denied involvement by his forces and those of the Basij, a voluntary paramilitary organization.
He did not specify, however, who had been behind the attacks.He did not specify, however, who had been behind the attacks.
The commander did not elaborate on his comments. Mojtaba Mousavi, the editor in chief of a website called Iran’s View, speculated that some Basij members — “just kids acting emotionally” — might have been among those who stormed the embassy, but he added, “This was in no way an organized effort by official groups.” He noted that the Basij condemned the attack on the building.The commander did not elaborate on his comments. Mojtaba Mousavi, the editor in chief of a website called Iran’s View, speculated that some Basij members — “just kids acting emotionally” — might have been among those who stormed the embassy, but he added, “This was in no way an organized effort by official groups.” He noted that the Basij condemned the attack on the building.
In 2012, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rebuked Basij members after they had stormed the British Embassy, leading to a cutting of diplomatic ties with Britain that were restored only last year.In 2012, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rebuked Basij members after they had stormed the British Embassy, leading to a cutting of diplomatic ties with Britain that were restored only last year.
President Hassan Rouhani, who had already denounced the storming of the Saudi diplomatic buildings, said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia should not use the attacks to divert attention from its decision to execute a dissident Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr — the event that precipitated the attacks.
“To cover up the crime of beheading a religious leader by the country, the Saudi government initiated a strange move and severed its political ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr. Rouhani said in a meeting with the Danish foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, in Tehran.
“However, undoubtedly, such actions can never muffle that big crime,” the state news agency IRNA quoted Mr. Rouhani as saying.
Mr. Rouhani, who has been struggling to balance the demands of hard-liners at home with his efforts to improve relations abroad, added that “beheading should not be a response to criticism,” and that “it is natural that the crime against human and Islamic rights will cause public reaction.”
Europe has expressed widespread revulsion at 47 executions Saudi Arabia recently carried out — including that of Sheikh Nimr — and Mr. Rouhani told Mr. Jensen, “I hope that European states, which always react to human rights issues, will act in accordance with their human rights obligations in this regard as well.”
Members of the Iranian Parliament also spoke out about the diplomatic crisis on Tuesday.Members of the Iranian Parliament also spoke out about the diplomatic crisis on Tuesday.
The Parliament’s official website, Icana, quoted Hossein Sobhani Nia, a lawmaker on the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, as saying, “Some individuals, with their violent actions against the Saudi Embassy, did what Saudi Arabia wanted, and the Saudis are hiding behind these incidents.”The Parliament’s official website, Icana, quoted Hossein Sobhani Nia, a lawmaker on the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, as saying, “Some individuals, with their violent actions against the Saudi Embassy, did what Saudi Arabia wanted, and the Saudis are hiding behind these incidents.”
Mr. Sobhani Nia added that the police and other security forces should have prevented “unruly elements” from entering the embassy.Mr. Sobhani Nia added that the police and other security forces should have prevented “unruly elements” from entering the embassy.
Gholam Ali Jafarzadeh Iman Abadi, another lawmaker, also blamed the police for lax security at the embassy. “We think that law enforcement should be blamed for its failure to control public anger,” Icana quoted him as saying.Gholam Ali Jafarzadeh Iman Abadi, another lawmaker, also blamed the police for lax security at the embassy. “We think that law enforcement should be blamed for its failure to control public anger,” Icana quoted him as saying.
Kuwait’s decision to recall its ambassador, reported by the official Kuwait News Agency, came a day after Bahrain and Sudan cut diplomatic ties with Iran, and the United Arab Emirates downgraded relations with the country. On Tuesday, Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Iran, becoming the latest country to side with Saudi Arabia in the widening diplomatic feud, which put the United States in a bind and even threatened to set back the prospects for peace in Syria.
The Kuwait News Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as calling the attacks a flagrant breach of international conventions and saying they violated Iran’s international commitment to the security and safety of diplomatic missions on its lands. Separately on Tuesday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of Turkey urged both sides to “act with common sense.”
Kuwait’s decision came a day after Bahrain and Sudan cut diplomatic ties with Iran, and the United Arab Emirates downgraded relations with the country.
On Sunday, Kuwait condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy, and on Monday, it denounced the attack as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the 1961 accord that specifies diplomatic privileges.On Sunday, Kuwait condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy, and on Monday, it denounced the attack as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the 1961 accord that specifies diplomatic privileges.
Kuwait, like Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, is a Sunni-led country and an ally of Saudi Arabia, a Sunni monarchy. (Bahrain has a majority-Shiite population but a Sunni monarchy.) Iran, a Shiite republic that has been governed by clerics since 1979, sees itself as a protector of the world’s Shiites.Kuwait, like Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, is a Sunni-led country and an ally of Saudi Arabia, a Sunni monarchy. (Bahrain has a majority-Shiite population but a Sunni monarchy.) Iran, a Shiite republic that has been governed by clerics since 1979, sees itself as a protector of the world’s Shiites.
Iranian state television again showed images on Tuesday of an underground missile base, during a visit by the chairman of Parliament, Ali Larijani. On Tuesday, Iranian state television again showed video footage of an underground missile base, during a visit by the chairman of Parliament, Ali Larijani.
They showed what seemed to be long-range missiles on nine trucks in an underground complex. Mr. Larijani paid his respects at the coffin of an unknown soldier under a banner showing a quote from Iran’s supreme leader, saying, “Israel will not be around in 25 years.”They showed what seemed to be long-range missiles on nine trucks in an underground complex. Mr. Larijani paid his respects at the coffin of an unknown soldier under a banner showing a quote from Iran’s supreme leader, saying, “Israel will not be around in 25 years.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said in September that Israel, Iran’s main enemy, would not exist in 25 years because of a decline in its birthrate.Ayatollah Khamenei said in September that Israel, Iran’s main enemy, would not exist in 25 years because of a decline in its birthrate.