Iran condemns 'brutal' attack on its consulate in Iraq’s Basra

In a Friday statement, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi regretfully confirmed an attack reported earlier on the consulate, saying the attackers had set the building ablaze in their brutal raid, causing serious financial damage.

However, he added, none of the staff members of the Iranian diplomatic mission had been harmed thanks to pre-emptive measures taken by the consulate after it received threats a day earlier.

He described the attack as a violation of protocols and said the Iraqi government has a crucial responsibility to protect diplomatic sites.

Qassemi at the same time warned about overt and covert efforts to undermine the friendly relations between the Iraqi and Iranian nations and governments, urging Baghdad to identify, arrest, and punish the culprits behind the serious crime as soon as possible.

Iran had earlier informed and warned the Iraqi officials about the possibility of such an attack, and thus the Arab government is held responsible for any negligence in ensuring the consulate's security, Qassemi noted.

The Islamic Republic expects the Iraqi government to speed up its efforts to catch and severely punish the perpetrators, he added.

Qassemi's comments came after a group of assailants torched the Iranian consulate in Basra amid massive protests against corruption and lack of basic services.

The Iraqi foreign ministry condemned the attack, saying that it harms the Arab country's interests.

Ten people have been killed so far in these violent protests, which have been ongoing for five days.

Source: PressTV