Attacking embassies, common method used by Iranian regime

January 2016

The intense and severe response by the Saudi government to the attack staged by the “mullahs’ club-wielders” against the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad (northeast Iran) has topped media reports regarding the region and the entire globe; especially since Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti immediately severed their relations with Tehran in solidarity with the Saudis, and the United Arab Emirates degraded its diplomatic relations with Iran to charge d’affaires. Kuwait has followed in line and summoned its ambassador to Tehran. Subsequently, the United Nations Security Council condemned the Iranian regime for the attack against the Saudi Embassy, calling on Tehran to protect diplomats and embassy properties.

This series of developments have received widespread coverage, especially in the Arab world, and been analyzed by many experts.

The Iranian regime continues it’s meddling in the affairs of Arab states and attempts to inflict blows to their institutions and societies by provoking sectarianism. This regime also dispatches its Revolutionary Guards and other mercenaries to Arab states and escalated its intelligence activities here and there in order to encourage terrorist attacks and establish groups to stage terrorist operations. It then also interferes in the most sensitive aspects of other countries’ internal affairs. In fact, this regime goes further and attempts to assassinate diplomats. The Iranian regime has carried out such measures and even more atrocities. Tehran is known for being condemned time and again by international organs for its crimes that are viewed outside the framework of international covenants, and in violation of the law.

The long history of such terrorist attacks began with the 1979 storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and has continued to this day. Tehran easily violates international pacts and refuses to respects its obligations to protect diplomats and diplomatic facilities stated in these agreements. The following is a list of terrorist attacks staged by the Iranian regime during the past 37 years against diplomats and embassies inside the country and abroad:

In 1979, attacking the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, occupying the facility and holding 58 embassy personnel hostage for 444 days.

In 1980, assassinating Kuwaiti diplomat Mostafa Mazruq in India

In 1982, assassinating Kuwaiti diplomat Najeeb al-Refaie in Madrid

In 1983, bombing the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, killing 60 people

In 1983, bombing the U.S. and French embassies in Kuwait

In 1987, attacking the Saudi embassy in Tehran, occupying the facility and taking the staff hostage. These individuals were attacked by the IRGC and paramilitary Bassij, leaving many of the embassy staff wounded and one of the personnel by the name of Saed al-Qamzi killed.

In 2007, attacking Kuwait embassy diplomat Mohamed al-Za’bi in Tehran.

In 2011, the US government foiled a terror plot planned by the Iranian regime aimed at assassinated Adel al-Jubair, then U.S. ambassador to the United States.

In 2011, murdering Saudi diplomat Hossein Ghahtani while commuting to the Saudi consulate in Karachi, Pakistan

In 2011, attacking a Saudi diplomat in Mashhad, Iran

Attacking the British embassy in Tehran in order to severe all diplomatic relations with the U.K.

Finally, attacking the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad

Prominent Arab World analysts and politicians have described the Saudis severing relations with the Iranian regime as an issue far more complex than diplomatic relations between two states. This is considered the source of major developments in the Middle East. One such expert by the name of Sale al-Qalab, former Jordanian minister of propaganda, in an interview with Al Arabiya TV on January 4^th referred to a known Arab saying that goes as, “The last cure is burning an individual with hot metal.”

He describes the Saudi step to severe al relations with the Iranian regime as cure, saying, “All these developments we are now witnessing are in line with the events in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. The Iranian regime’s meddling have also reached Gambia, Senegal and other African countries. The attack on the Saudi consulate in Mashhad and Saudi embassy in Tehran are in line with this war. Moreover, this is a message that the Iranian regime is sending (to lift the spirits) of its groups in the Persian Gulf, and also to Saudi Arabia.”

Prominent Arab expert Walid Fares in an interview with Fox News on January 3^rd referred to the recent developments and said, “This is fundamentally the last explosion in a series of face-offs that have been ongoing in the past 3 or 4 years. The Saudis are fighting proxy militias in Yemen supported by Iran. Pro-Saudi forces and pro-Sunni forces in Syria and …