Khamenei condemns attack on Saudi embassy in Tehran

E-Paper | July 28, 2026

DUBAI: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran this month, saying it was “really bad”.

Read: Iran seeks to limit fallout of Saudi embassy attack

In remarks published on his website, he also thanked Revolutionary Guards for detaining a group of US sailors in the Gulf last week, adding they had done the right thing.

Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran early on January 3 as the country reacted with fury to Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shia cleric, Nimr al-Nimr.

Saudi Arabia, its fellow-Sunni Bahrain and other allies severed ties with Iran following the attack on the embassy in Tehran.

Also read: Saudis, Iran stand firm; big powers for restraint

The development came two weeks before Iran emerged from years of economic isolation when world powers lifted crippling sanctions against the Islamic Republic in return for Tehran complying with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions.

World

The Saudi-Iran showdown

Saudi-Iran

Saudis, Iran stand firm; big powers for restraint

Keen Reader

Jan 20, 2016 04:02pm

why after so many days?

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stranger

Jan 20, 2016 04:07pm

Diplomacy bearing fruit?

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Felicia

Jan 20, 2016 04:10pm

Good job Pakistan on the diplomacy I guess.

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Muhammad

Jan 20, 2016 04:11pm

@Keen Reader Iranian President and Foreign office condemned the attack on same day whereas Saudis have not shown any remorse on unjustified beheading of such a high ranking cleric till date

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Ayan (SUPER HERO NOT SUPER MODEL)

Jan 20, 2016 04:14pm

Better late than never! Iranian Supreme Leader is not happy with his own people, Saudi Arabia should also win the hearts of millions by accepting it. The fight between Ummah is have negative impact on Economies of Muslim world. Let's happily live and progress.

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Taimoor Khan

Jan 20, 2016 04:15pm

Timing is interesting, just after Pakistan stepped in to defuse the crisis.

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whocares

Jan 20, 2016 04:16pm

@Muhammad exactly.

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Hasan Siftain

Jan 20, 2016 04:19pm

I guess diplomacy started by Pakistan is showing results. Job well done Mr Prime Minister.

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Hasan Siftain

Jan 20, 2016 04:24pm

@Muhammad Iran can condemn this without disturbing its foreign policy as attacker on Suadi embassy were either non-state actors or locals without apparent backing of state. While execution was well planned and according to state policy, whatever it is. Saudi cannot show remorse.

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Kabeer

Jan 20, 2016 04:33pm

@Hasan Siftain Correct ! but it is high-time that Saudi regime should change their way of stone age policies and way of governance otherwise they will also be executed in the same way they should try to learn something from history

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Muzamil

Jan 20, 2016 04:41pm

It's just power game between Iranian & Saudis .......well both countries leadership don't care sects weather Sunnis or shia and Iran uses shia on other side Saudis uses Sunnis for own domination in the region Pakistan please be careful.. Long live Pakistan

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ali sikandar chachar

Jan 20, 2016 04:45pm

Very positive, diplomatic and foresighted approach by the supreme leader. It means things are going in right direction. All the credit must go to Pakistan for initiatives. Next step should be restore the diplomatic relations.

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Shahid

Jan 20, 2016 04:48pm

@Hasan Siftain Pakistan has hanged close to 200 terrorists. Execution of 47 individuals by KSA remains Saudi Arabia,s internal affair. If Iran will start running after the welfare of all the Shias world over than Pakistan must wait for its turn.

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Zak

Jan 20, 2016 05:01pm

@Keen Reader because on Pakistan's request, to acknowledge a wrong. It's diplomatic speak.

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Hasan Siftain

Jan 20, 2016 05:07pm

@Shahid True and agree. It is Saudia's internal matter. Like it was Bangadesh's internal matter to hang leaders of JI

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Kabeer

Jan 20, 2016 05:34pm

@Shahid Human Rights violation has never been the internal matter of any country if the civilized world keep silent on brutal beheading of innocent people this world will soon become a jungle therefore not only Iran UN, EU and Human Right Organizations also condemned the brutal act of the Saudis infact Saudis are sowing the seeds of revolt in their eastern province and further what will be your advice for Pakistan who has joined the so-called 34 countries coalition ?

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Asif

Jan 20, 2016 05:50pm

@Muhammad Was he Iranian citizen or Saudi? What Iran has to do with this matter anyway?

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Sadiq - USA

Jan 20, 2016 05:58pm

@Kabeer very well said!

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Mehdi

Jan 20, 2016 06:06pm

@Asif Human rights violation targeting particular segment of the society is not considered as internal issue of a country. You have to know that the revered Sheikh Nimr's execution was wrong without any legal basis.

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khanm

Jan 20, 2016 06:21pm

“Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.indeed Khamenei has put in an effort...We cannot live better than in seeking to become better. good luck...

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Waseem

Jan 20, 2016 07:12pm

@Muhammad I think it is there internal matter. No one should poke nose in their business. Period. Iran also routinely conducts capital punishments to political dissidents.

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Abbas

Jan 20, 2016 07:27pm

No one has ever condemned more than 7000 innocent Muslims killed by Saudi War planes just because Yemenis are against Saudi Interference in their local politics. Saudi Populace mistreat humanity at the highest level in the world and no one objects and here we are objecting burning of some files and curtains at an embassy.

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Muhammad

Jan 20, 2016 07:28pm

@Waseem "I think it is there internal matter" and what you think about Saudis invasion of Bahrain and Yemen and further about their proxy wars in Syria and Iraq ? kindly enlighten us on these issues also !

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Muhammad

Jan 20, 2016 07:36pm

@Abbas This is called sheer hypocrisy !

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Mazher

Jan 20, 2016 07:38pm

Every country has the right to prosecute & punish their citizen if they are indulge in activities against state. Saudi did the same, Iran is just making a fuss out of nothing. Some of Taliban leaders are Alim & Mufti so Pakistan should not hang them, no Pakistan & Saudi should do what ever they think is good for their country.

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Kabeer

Jan 20, 2016 08:06pm

@Mazher It is really very sad that you have compared the peaceful pious person like Sheikh Nimr with violent brutal Taliban Sheikh Nimr was simply demanding basic rights for Saudi down trodden people in peaceful manner and whereas Taliban wanted to curb / snatch whatever little democratic rights Afghan and Pakistani people have through guns / bullets and suicide bombings Shame !

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AIZ

Jan 20, 2016 08:06pm

Good begining

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Mohammad

Jan 20, 2016 08:37pm

Its important that cool heads should prevail. Important step by religious leader, after all its responsivity of country to protect missions and consulates of other countries as you expect same from others. If country cannot protect missions of others then they should not have foreign missions, this goes for Iran and also for Pakistan. Peace dialogues will settle all the issues in Iraq and Syria. Abadis in Oman should also get involve in peace dialogues as they are also part of original Muslims before Shia Sunni branches started.

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fatimah

Jan 20, 2016 08:44pm

@Asif 1. If you say that hanging a high rank scholar just for the fact that he spoke against the injustice by the state, it is by no means shariah. Was he involved in any armed offense? Did he instigate people for that? Atleast those who boast about implementation of shariah should be questioned. 2. Saudi apologists must dare to answer about the role of KSA in toppling Akhwan Govt. and even leading them to be execution for nothing. 3. Why saudia openly intervened Syria and leading it to utterly destroy the whole country?

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lafanga

Jan 20, 2016 10:54pm

@fatimah 1) It was a mistake by the Saudis to have executed the cleric BUT they did accuse him of instigating the uprising in Shia dominated oil rich province and Saudis don't take lightly any threat to the house of Saud. BTW ... 44 out of 47 executed on that day were Sunnis. 2) Yemen has become the proxy battleground for the Saudis and Iran. No clear winner here. Both will be losers and above all poor Yemenis. 3) Both the Saudis and Iranians have their hand in Syrian cookie jar. You can blame both for being on different end of the civil war.

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Ailly

Jan 21, 2016 12:55am

he condemned attack on Saudi Embassy after 17 days but did not condemned that two Oil giants have no diplomatic relations which were severed because of arrogance shown by Iran.

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Saad

Jan 21, 2016 01:03am

what about apologizing for attack on US embassy? A wrong is a wrong is a wrong. Regular people of the street and thugs have not right attacking the embassies and shredding the political and diplomatic etiquette. When Muslims have selective amnesia about whats right and wrong, that is where they become the joke and irrelevant for the world. Fix your house before complaining to others.

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TRUE

Jan 21, 2016 03:57am

It is easy to condemn but impossible to punish the attackers.

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Fahim Khan

Jan 21, 2016 06:15am

Sheikh Nimr is a Saudi citizen but Yemenis also being killed by Saudis and they are not Saudi citizens.

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Baaligh

Jan 21, 2016 10:26am

@Keen Reader : "why after so many days?" How many are so many, dear KR ? We should learn to appreciate good gestures ...if we really want unity.

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Kabeer

Jan 21, 2016 11:28am

@lafanga "BTW ... 44 out of 47 executed on that day were Sunnis" Even execution of hundreds of criminals along with one innocent person cannot justify the act of killing that one innocent person it is totally against the Islamic, International and Natural Justice and please remember justifying the acts of killers on any pretext makes one also an abettor of killer

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Kabeer

Jan 21, 2016 11:32am

@Ailly "diplomatic relations which were severed because of arrogance shown by Iran" I think you are not listening to any media report local or International all media reports and neutral commentators are accusing Saudi Arab in this row. Saudi Arab is the one who want to escalate tension and sectarian divide in the region to achieve their ulterior motives and to curb the democratic wishes of its own common people

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Ahmed Haneef

Jan 21, 2016 05:52pm

No doubt he is the only leader in the world who stood up for Palestinian cause and supported practically in all field to the people of places time as well as lebanon

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