Condemning the act of rioters who stormed and set the Iranian consulate ablaze in the southern city of Najaf on Wednesday, the Spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry required the Iraqi government to give a response to rioters.
Abbas Mousavi reminded the Iraqi government is in charge of providing the security of diplomatic sites in that country, adding that Iran will announce its protest against the event to Iraq via Iraqi envoy in Iran.
Staff at the Iranian consulate evacuated safely before the attack in the holy city. Local authorities imposed a curfew following the incident, state media reported.
According to local media, 47 Iraqi security staff have been injured during the attack. The Saudi-led media Al-Arabiya, activities of which is illegal in Iraq, has broadcasted the attack in a live report from its beginning which raises the probability of a pre-planned attack.
The attackers were a group wearing masks who had come from other cities to Najaf in a planned move to set the consulate ablaze, the report added.
On Thursday, Iraqi state news agency quoted the foreign ministry as condemning the attack on the diplomatic facility.
Following the recent attacks on the Iranian consulate in Karbala in early November, Mousavi had urged the Iraqi government to take required measures to provide security of Iranian diplomatic monuments and areas in that country.
Source: Iranian Agencies
