Somalia condemns storming of Saudi Embassy in Tehran and Consulate in Mashhad

Somalia has strongly condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its Consulate in Mashhad, saying that it violates international law.

“Such acts are in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963,” said a press note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Calling upon the Republic of Iran to take urgent necessary measures to stop recurrence of such incidents, the release further stated: “It is the responsibility of the host Government to accord necessary protection to the diplomatic and consular missions within its jurisdiction as these are inviolable under the international law.”

Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran early on Sunday and Shia Muslim Iran’s top leader predicted “divine vengeance” for Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shia cleric.

Demonstrators massed at the embassy gates to protest against cleric Nimr al-Nimr’s execution broke into the building, smashed furniture and started fires before being ejected by police.

Iran’s foreign ministry called for calm and urged protesters to respect the diplomatic premises. Tehran’s police chief said that an unspecified number of “unruly elements” had been arrested for attacking the embassy with petrol bombs and rocks.