Commander of Tehran's IRGC: Attack on Saudi Embassy was a Very Wrong Act

Mohsen Kazemini, the commander of the IRGC 'Mohammad Rasoulallah' in Tehran, stated that the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran was 'completely organized' and 'a very wrong and erroneous act.' On January 4, he said that the 'ugly' action taken cannot be justified in any way. He also added, 'We are confident that this act was not carried out by committed and Hezbollah forces and that this action was completely organized.' The Tehran commander did not provide further explanation on this matter and did not specify which group or groups organized the attack on the Saudi embassy. Mohsen Kazemini also rejected the statements of Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, regarding 'confronting Iran in the region,' stating, 'The Islamic Republic of Iran does not consider the Al Saud regime a threat to itself.' Kazemini's remarks come as other officials, including the President of Iran, condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad just hours after it occurred. Earlier, Hossein Sajedi-Nia, the head of Tehran police, reported the 'arrest' of several individuals referred to as 'self-directed attackers' on the embassy, although the identities of these individuals have not yet been revealed. This is not the first time an embassy in Iran has been attacked. Relations between Tehran and Riyadh have previously been severed for years on several occasions. The attack and burning of the Saudi embassy, which took place amid protests by the Islamic Republic against the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, has received widespread international attention. Saudi Arabia and several allied countries have severed their relations with Tehran. Riyadh also complained to the United Nations Security Council about Iran, which ultimately condemned the attack on Saudi diplomatic premises in Iran on January 4 in 'the strongest terms.' Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has not yet reacted to the attack on the Saudi embassy and consulate. He had previously stated, 'The hand of divine revenge will seize the Saudi officials.' In this context, the Minister of Justice stated that the attack on the Saudi embassy could be the work of infiltrators. The United States had previously warned Saudi Arabia about the consequences of Nimr's execution. The Iranian representation at the United Nations expressed regret over the attack on the Saudi embassy. The Security Council condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.