Khamenei condemns Saudi embassy attack

TEHRAN — Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei publicly condemned Wednesday for the first time the Jan. 2 attack on Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran as "a very bad and wrong incident". "Like the British embassy attack before it, this was against the country (Iran) and Islam, and I didn't like it," he added. Britain's embassy in Tehran was stormed and ransacked by a mob in 2011. The arson attack on Saudi Arabia's embassy — for which local media reports say as many as 140 people have been arrested — led to Riyadh quickly severing diplomatic ties with Tehran. The incident occurred late at night after Saudi Arabia executed Shiite cleric and activist Nimr Al-Nimr for crimes against the Kingdom. Khamenei's remarks on Wednesday, in a speech to electoral officials ahead of the country's parliamentary polls on Feb. 26, underscored that the embassy attack had no sympathy from within the republic's establishment. President Hassan Rohani at the time said the violence was committed by "rogue elements" acting against the country's interests. The embassy vandals took selfies and smartphone video footage where they were seen holding items stolen from inside the building, causing deep embarrassment in Tehran. Rohani and other officials condemned the arson and looting — seen by millions worldwide via social media — and he has urged speedy prosecutions. Khamenei also spoke for the first time Wednesday about the brief detention by Iran's Revolutionary Guards' naval force of 10 US Navy personnel who strayed into Iranian waters in the Arabian Gulf. "This move by our dear youth... against the enemies' aggression in our waters, they showed power," Khamenei said. "I didn't have an opportunity to thank them. I really thank them. It was a very appropriate action," he added. The arrests of the American sailors on Jan. 13 came just days before Iran was due to implement its nuclear deal with world powers, including the United States. A dramatic series of events started with the sailors — nine men and a woman — being taken into custody after their two patrol boats drifted into Iranian territory. US and Iranian officials scrambled to defuse the situation, which had raised alarm in Washington, but after informal talks with Tehran, the Guards said the 10 sailors had been set free. — AFP