Indictment Issued for 22 Individuals Involved in Attack on Saudi Embassy

The Tehran prosecutor announced the issuance of indictments for 22 individuals accused in the case of the attack on the Saudi embassy, stating that their case will soon be sent to court. According to Fars News Agency, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi made this statement on Tuesday, March 9, during the third national conference of judges of the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office. He did not provide details about the identities of these 22 individuals or the timing of their court proceedings. Two days prior, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for Iran's judiciary, mentioned in a press conference regarding the case that "the case of four individuals accused in the attack on the Saudi embassy is with the Special Clerical Court, and I do not know about their release, but all those who were in the Tehran prosecutor's office, except for two, are free on appropriate bail until the day of the trial." Mohseni Ejei had previously reported that around 200 individuals participated in the attack on the Saudi embassy and that "100 of them" were arrested, with some having been released. Following the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, a protest was held in front of the embassy on December 12, during which, according to Tehran police, several "self-styled individuals" entered the embassy and caused damage to the building. In response to this action, Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries severed their relations with Iran and accused Tehran of violating international regulations and conventions regarding the protection of diplomatic premises. In Iran, government officials, led by President Hassan Rouhani, condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy. In the latest comments on this issue, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, stated on March 4 that "revolutionary action does not mean adventurism," adding, "The seizure of the U.S. embassy was a revolutionary act, but the assault on the Saudi embassy was an adventure, and distinguishing between revolutionary action and adventurism is based on the correct insight and perspective of the leader's statements." Previously, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, head of the Basij Organization, claimed that "agents of U.S. intelligence services" and "monarchist elements" were involved in the attack on the Saudi embassy to tarnish the image of Hezbollah youth. However, reports indicate that Hossein Kordmihn, founder of the Noor Ma'refat cultural-religious institute and a supporter of the Supreme Leader, was involved in the attack on the Saudi embassy and was arrested for this reason. Mansour Haqiqatpour, deputy head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian parliament, accused the "supporters" of Ayatollah Sadeq Shirazi, a critic of the Islamic Republic, of attacking the Saudi embassy, but the Khabar Online website dismissed this accusation as "baseless" and reported that the action was carried out by individuals known as "Velayat-madar". In related news, Iran protested the refusal to issue visas for participation in the Islamic Cooperation Summit, with Switzerland taking on the responsibility of protecting Iran's interests in Riyadh. Iran also reported that Saudi fighter jets had caused damage to the Iranian embassy in Yemen and confirmed the arrest of the main perpetrator of the attack on the Saudi embassy. Mohseni Ejei reiterated that 100 individuals were arrested in connection with the attack on the Saudi embassy.