RIYADH — Many Gulf, Arab and Muslim countries condemned the Iranian arson attacks on Saudi Embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad early on Sunday. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani condemned the attacks on the Saudi missions in Iran and held the Iranian authorities fully responsible for these acts of terror. He stressed that Iran's failure to prevent these attacks are a grave breach of Iran's commitment to protect diplomatic missions according the 1961 Vienna Convention and international laws. Al-Zayani also condemned the hostile Iranian statements on the execution of the 47 terrorists which were carried out after proper judicial procedures in line with Shariah. He considered these Iranian statements as flagrant interference in the Kingdom's internal affairs. The GCC secretary general said these statements helped in inciting the attackers who stormed the Saudi missions in Iran. He said GCC countries stand united in support of the Kingdom and in condemning these terrorist acts on the Saudi missions in Iran. The GCC countries hold the Iranian authorities fully responsible for these heinous attacks. The GCC also reaffirms its support for the decisions taken by the Kingdom to combat terrorism in all its manifestations and pursuing and trying those who carry out terrorist acts, arouse sedition and turmoil. Kuwait also expressed its strong condemnation of the attacks on the Saudi missions by Iranias. An official source at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted by KUNA on Sunday as saying that these attacks are blatant violations of the Vienna Convention on the commitment of countries to protect diplomatic missions and guarantee the safety of the staff. The source called on the Iranian authorities to abide by all international principles and norms that stipulate respecting the sovereignty of countries and non-interference in their internal affairs. The Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned these terrorist attacks in Tehran and Mashhad. It said that such acts are a clear violation of international charters and norms. The ministry also said that they are a breach of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that guarantees the security and protection of diplomatic missions and their personnel. Bahrain demanded of Iran to shoulder its responsibility by providing sufficient protection to diplomatic missions. It also called on it to take deterrent legal measures against the attackers. Jordan also strongly condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy building and its consulate and considered these to be a breach of international law and the Geneva Conventions on protecting diplomatic missions. This came in a statement by Dr. Muhammad Al-Momani, Jordanian minister of state for information affairs and spokesman of the Jordanian government. The Pakistani Religious Scholars Council also condemned the hostile Iranian statements against the judicial verdicts that were carried out against terrorists in the Kingdom. It also strongly condemned the arson attacks against the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad. Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran early on Sunday and started fires. Pictures posted on Twitter showed parts of the interior on fire and smashed furniture inside one office. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Kingdom on Saturday and handed him a strong-worded protest note on the aggressive Iranian statements issued in response to the Islamic rulings carried out on terrorists in the Kingdom, a ministry source said.
