Arab Coalition Led by Saudi Arabia Denies Attack on Iranian Embassy in Sana'a

The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which is conducting military operations in Yemen against Houthi forces supported by Tehran, denied on Thursday, January 7, that the Iranian embassy in Sana'a was bombed. According to AFP, a coalition spokesperson stated in a statement that investigations show that "the allegations are incorrect and no attack has occurred against the embassy (of Iran) or near it." The unnamed spokesperson added, "We also confirm that the embassy building is secure and has not been damaged." An Associated Press reporter in Sana'a had previously reported that the Iranian embassy building was not harmed. Following Tehran's accusations, the Arab coalition announced it would investigate the bombing of the Iranian embassy by this coalition. General Ahmed Asiri, the coalition spokesperson, stated that the coalition's fighter jets targeted missile launch sites belonging to the Houthi militia on Wednesday night. According to him, the Houthis were launching missiles towards Saudi Arabia. This military official claimed that the Houthi group uses civilian facilities, including evacuated embassies, for their purposes. General Asiri also stated that the regional coalition has requested all countries to declare the locations of their diplomatic facilities. Earlier on Thursday, Hossein Jabbar Ansari, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, accused Saudi Arabia of targeting the Islamic Republic's embassy in the Yemeni capital, resulting in serious injuries to one of the embassy's guards. He stated that Saudi Arabia carried out this action "deliberately and intentionally" and violated "all conventions and international legal rules regarding the protection of the security and immunity of diplomatic premises." Iran's accusation comes just days after a prolonged crisis began between Tehran and Riyadh over the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a dissident Shia cleric from Saudi Arabia, by Riyadh, which led to a group attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its subsequent burning. Following this incident, Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran and accused Tehran of violating regulations and international conventions regarding the protection of diplomatic premises. The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been conducting extensive ground and air operations against Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen since March, and according to Reuters, the coalition's airstrikes on Thursday were very intense. "The attack on the Saudi embassy is unacceptable." In further developments regarding the Iran-Saudi relationship crisis, Morteza Sarmadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, who was in Kuwait, rejected what he called "the actions of some in attacking the Saudi embassy and consulate." According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website, Mr. Sarmadi made this statement during a meeting with Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait. He also noted that Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, has issued necessary and urgent instructions regarding the attack on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad for follow-up and action. Previously, Hassan Rouhani had requested an immediate and expedited investigation into the case of the attack on Saudi diplomatic premises in a letter to Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, the head of the judiciary. In this letter, he wrote that "the perpetrators and instigators of this blatant crime must be punished to prevent such assaults on the country's security and to uphold the authority and status of the system." According to the official IRNA news agency, Mr. Rouhani also deemed the attackers of the Saudi embassy and consulate guilty during a government meeting on Wednesday, January 6, and called on the Ministries of Intelligence and Interior to take decisive action against officials who were negligent in this incident. In this context, according to Mehr news agency, Ibrahim Raisi, the Attorney General, referred to the investigations into the attack on the Saudi embassy, stating that the dimensions of the incident are being pursued by Iran's intelligence and security agencies. Following these attacks, in addition to Riyadh, Bahrain, Sudan, Somalia, Comoros, and Djibouti severed their relations with Iran. Several countries also reduced their relations with Tehran or summoned their ambassadors. Meanwhile, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website, Morteza Sarmadi referred to Sheikh Nimr as "a religious and freedom-seeking figure" and stated that his execution was "a sign of impotence" and has increased tensions in the region. This Iranian official pointed out that "it is the responsibility of all countries to prevent provocative actions," addressing the efforts of some countries to inject what he called "tension and insecurity and play a destructive role in the region," deeming such actions "detrimental to regional security." Mr. Sarmadi also accused some countries of using terrorism as a tool to advance their interests. In the past, Tehran has criticized some regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, for what it called support for Salafi and terrorist groups. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has leveled similar accusations against Iran. The two countries have had serious disagreements for months over Iran's nuclear file and the crises in Syria and Yemen.