Switzerland to Handle Iran’s Consular Affairs in Saudi Arabia

Switzerland will handle Iran’s consular affairs in Saudi Arabia and vice versa, the Swiss foreign ministry said on Sunday, AVA Diplomatic reports.

The Swiss foreign ministry said it will also facilitate Iranian pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, following a diplomatic dispute between Riyadh and Tehran over the execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

“Iran asked Switzerland to handle its consular interests in Saudi Arabia, and the Swiss officials appreciated that and accepted. However, this only came after Saudi Arabia also accepted Switzerland to handle its consular interests in Iran,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jaberi said on Sunday.

This comes as Iranian Deputy Interior Minister for Security and Law Enforcement Affairs Hossein Zolfaqari announced that a sum of 154 suspects have been detained or summoned to the judicial system in relation to the recent storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

He said that the interior ministry’s latest report on incidents which happened during the storming of the Saudi mission by angry protestors after the execution of prominent Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was also sent to the relevant officials.

In relevant remarks last month, Commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Police Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari voiced suspicion over the recent violent acts against the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

General Ashtari said that he is not sure but suspicious of the way the Saudi missions were attacked.

Police will continue its investigation to find the realities revealed behind the attacks, he added.

Holding protest gatherings against Saudi Arabia is acceptable but no person who is loyal to the Islamic Republic invades an embassy this way, General Ashtari said.

Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshrou in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underlined that his country is seriously pursuing the case of attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its commitment to compliance with the relevant international law and documents, specially Vienna Convention of 1963 on Consular Relations and Vienna Convention of 1961 on Diplomatic Relations and it will do its best to arrest all the perpetrators of the incident and prosecute them,” Khoshrou said in his letter last month.

The Iranian ambassador expressed regret over the attack by some assailants on the Saudi embassy building which caused some damages to it despite widespread efforts by the law enforcement forces to prevent them from doing so.  The Iranian ambassador, however, condemned Saudi Arabia’s provocative measure by executing Sheikh Nimr.

He wrote that after the recent incidents, President Hassan Rouhani issued the necessary orders to the relevant bodies, including the interior ministry, to expedite follow-up of the issue and bring to justice the perpetrators of the crime.

The Saudi interior ministry announced early this month the execution of 47 people, including Sheikh Nimr.

After the announcement, Sunni and Shiite Muslims from across the world rushed to condemn his execution, vowing revenge.

Human rights organizations have condemned Saudi Arabia for failing to address the rights situation in the kingdom. They say Saudi Arabia has persistently implemented repressive policies that stifle freedom of expression, association and assembly.