Ali Motahari: The Main Culprit of the Attack on the Saudi Embassy Was the Police Force

Ali Motahari, a principlist representative of the ninth parliament, stated on Tuesday, January 21, that the police force was the "main culprit" in the incident of the attack on the Saudi Arabian embassy and that this institution should be held accountable for an event that benefited Saudi Arabia. Mr. Motahari made these remarks during his pre-scheduled speech in a public session of the parliament, referring to the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a dissenting Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, which sparked widespread reactions among Shia Muslims. He said, "A group, whether organized or spontaneous, moves towards the embassy, and the police refuse to fulfill their duties simply because these individuals are affiliated with a certain organization." According to ILNA news agency, he emphasized, "The police must be accountable for this incident that benefited Saudi Arabia." Following the execution of Sheikh Nimr on January 12, along with 46 others in Saudi Arabia, a group of Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad on the same day, causing significant damage. The Saudi embassy was set on fire during this attack. The police attributed the attack to a "self-organized" group, and Hossein Ali Amiri, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, reported the arrest of about 60 individuals in this regard. However, statements and reactions from some Friday prayer leaders suggest that the attackers were linked to certain military institutions of the Islamic Republic. The attack led to a wave of international condemnation and resulted in the severing of relations between Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, and Bahrain with Iran. Other Arab countries also reduced their diplomatic ties with Tehran. Tehran has promised to bring the attackers to justice, and in the latest development, Abbas Jafari Dolat Abadi, the Tehran prosecutor, stated that "identification, arrest, and investigation of the perpetrators is ongoing." The Iranian judiciary has not yet released a report on the identity of the attackers and their potential punishment, but the newspaper "Shargh" reported in its Thursday issue that, according to legal experts, the attackers could face more than 10 years in prison and flogging if convicted. Some legal experts have told Shargh that the police officers present at the scene are also accused of failing to perform their legal duties. Hossein Ashtari, the police chief, told the Tasnim news agency: "The detainees from the attack on the Saudi embassy are in the custody of the prosecutor's office. We have done our job, and the prosecutor's office is currently addressing their situation. The prosecutor's office is now investigating the factors of this incident and will announce the results after compiling them." Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated on January 16 in a cabinet meeting that "it must be examined who these individuals are; whether they are affiliated or acted out of ignorance." He added, "I do not care about the roots; these individuals are criminals and guilty, and I ask the judiciary to handle the cases decisively and outside the usual process, as this issue is related to national dignity, security, and interests, and is very important to us." This incident has so far left two casualties among security and police officials; Safar Ali Baratlou, the security deputy of the Tehran governorate, and Hassan Arab Sarakhi, the commander of the special unit in Tehran, both of whom have been removed from their positions.