Diplomats condemn embassy vandalism

RIYADH: Foreign diplomats in the Kingdom have condemned the attacks on Saudi missions in Iran as violations of international law.
Dya-eddin Said Bamakhrama, ambassador of Djibouti and dean of the diplomatic corps here, told Arab News on Monday that the incidents in Tehran violated the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
He said the convention guarantees the protection and security of diplomatic missions and their personnel, which is the responsibility of the host nation. These actions in Iran “threaten international peace and security,” he said.
Referring to the executions, he said this was the right of Saudi Arabia, which was in accordance with international conventions allowing countries to protect their people. The Kingdom’s sovereignty must be respected, he said.
Palestine Ambassador Basem said every country must ensure that it protects foreign missions under all circumstances.
Algeria Ambassador Abdul Wahab Derbal said that embassies and diplomatic missions are considered sovereign properties. Violations of international law must be taken seriously. Host nations bear the full responsibility for protecting missions, he said.
He said Iran has a history of such attacks, citing the assault on the US Embassy years ago, and added that the Kingdom has the right to execute terrorists as long as it is in line with local and international laws.