Tensions at Protest Outside Iranian Embassy in Netherlands; Police Arrest Four

Images published on a Dutch website on Wednesday, January 9, show that a protest took place in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy in The Hague. Meanwhile, several protesters threw objects towards the embassy building, and police arrested at least four of them. In a video released from this protest, a group of about eight people, holding a tricolor flag (black, white, and red), can be seen throwing objects at the Iranian embassy. Subsequently, one of them climbed the embassy's entrance and was arrested by police. Meanwhile, ISNA reported that Alireza Jahangiri, Iran's ambassador in The Hague, contacted Dutch Foreign Ministry officials, criticizing the presence and activities of terrorists in the Netherlands and emphasizing the Dutch government's responsibility to ensure the security of the embassy's buildings and staff. According to the report, 'Dutch officials also expressed regret over this act and emphasized the need to ensure the security of diplomatic premises and embassy staff.' In this context, an informed source told the Islamic Republic's IRIB news agency: 'The attackers, who were few in number, attempted to enter the embassy by throwing stones and objects but were arrested by police before entering the embassy grounds. No damage was done to the embassy building or its staff. The embassy is expected to issue a statement regarding this matter.' The Netherlands has accused the Iranian government of being involved in the planning of two assassinations on its soil. According to the 'Telegraaf' website, The Hague's mayor did not issue a permit for the demonstration in front of the embassy. When protesters shouted slogans like 'Iranian terrorist regime' and threw objects at the Islamic Republic's embassy, police quickly arrived on the scene and arrested four of them. The 'Telegraaf' reported that among those arrested were family members of Ahmad Nissi, who was assassinated in this country in November 2017. This gathering occurred while the Netherlands had accused the Iranian government the previous day of involvement in the assassination of two of the Islamic Republic's opponents on its territory. The Dutch government stated that one of these individuals, an Iranian citizen named Ahmad Mola Abunahs, known as Ahmad Nissi, the founder of the 'Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz,' was killed on November 8 of last year in front of his residence in The Hague. In this regard, the Dutch intelligence and security service reported on Friday, July 5, that two Iranian embassy staff members in the Netherlands were expelled from the country about a month ago. The 'Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz' was established in 1999 and is considered a terrorist group by the Islamic Republic. Reports indicate that the 'Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz' split in 2015 into two branches in Denmark and the Netherlands, with Ahmad Mola Nissi being the leader of this group in the Netherlands. These groups refer to a large part of southwestern Iran, including the provinces of Khuzestan, Bushehr, and parts of Isfahan and other provinces, as 'Ahvaz.'