Rouhani Calls for Punishment of Perpetrators and Instigators of Attack on Saudi Embassy

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, in a letter to Sadegh Larijani, the head of Iran's judiciary, called for immediate and prioritized attention to the case of the attack on the Saudi Arabian embassy and consulate. According to the Iranian presidential website, Mr. Rouhani emphasized in his letter on Wednesday, January 6, that 'the perpetrators and instigators of this blatant crime must be punished to prevent such assaults on the country's security and insults to the authority and status of the regime.' Furthermore, in a cabinet meeting on the same day, Hassan Rouhani criticized the attackers of the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran. According to ISNA, the Iranian president again described the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Tehran and Mashhad as a 'wrong and illegal' act and urged the ministries of intelligence and interior to 'take decisive action against the officials who may have been negligent in this incident' and report it to the public. Hassan Rouhani stated: 'Those who attacked out of ignorance or affiliation with these places are criminals, and I ask the judiciary to investigate this matter decisively and outside the normal judicial process.' The head of the Supreme National Security Council noted that 'diplomatic sites and guests have legal and international immunity,' declaring: 'Attacking these sites in the country is against Islamic law and the law, an attack on the dignity of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and akin to attacking people's homes.' Hassan Rouhani further emphasized: 'The attackers of diplomatic sites are far from Islamic, Iranian culture, and the law.' In another part of his speech, he stated: 'We ask the Saudi government to rectify past mistakes and abandon this erroneous and fruitless path,' adding: 'Stability, security, genuine fight against terrorism, friendship, and brotherhood with all regional countries are the main demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran.' According to the Iranian president, 'the Islamic Republic government seeks to establish good and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially Islamic countries and neighbors.' A few days earlier, following the attack by a group of demonstrators on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad after the announcement of Sheikh Nimr's execution, the Iranian president condemned the execution of this Shia cleric, stating that these attacks 'are in no way justifiable' and 'an insult to the regime.' Mr. Rouhani also described the execution of Sheikh Nimr in his statement on Sunday, January 3, as 'an inhumane act that is in clear contradiction with human rights and Islamic values' and expressed condolences for his 'martyrdom.' Shortly before the release of Hassan Rouhani's statement on Sunday, the Tehran prosecutor's office announced the arrest of 40 individuals in connection with this incident. Abbas Jafari Dolat Abadi, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Tehran, also mentioned on Sunday that following the gathering on Saturday evening in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the attack by some individuals on its building, 40 people who 'played a role in entering the embassy building have been identified and arrested, and investigations to identify other individuals involved in this incident are ongoing.' Following the announcement of Sheikh Nimr's execution in Saudi Arabia, a protest gathering was held in front of the embassy of that country in Tehran, and according to Tehran police, some 'self-styled individuals' caused damage to the embassy building. In Mashhad, a group also attacked the Saudi consulate by throwing stones and incendiary materials.