The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned all acts of violence against its diplomatic missions and the failure of the Iranian authorities to respect the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and the obligations of host governments in this regard.

Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Abdullah bin Yahya Al-Mualami delivered letters expressing the condemnation of the Iranian attack on the Kingdom’s diplomatic missions in Iran. The letters were presented to the President of the UN Security Council; the President of the UN General Assembly, and the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Following is the message's text:

Based on instructions from my Government, I would like to inform you of the storming and the attack against the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on January 2, 2016, in Tehran, Iran. At the time of the violation and looting of the embassy and setting fire to it, the Iranian authorities failed to carry out their duties to provide adequate protection. A similar attack, during the same day, against the Saudi consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad was also carried out. Again, the Iranian authorities failed to fulfill their obligations under the international law, to prevent occurrence of such attacks.

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns in the strongest terms all acts of violence against diplomatic missions. Moreover, we are appalled at the Iranian authorities' failure to respect the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and obligations of host governments, including Vienna Convention for 1961 on Consular Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage.

It will be highly appreciated if this message is circulated to all members of the Security Council and issued as a document of the Security Council and the General Assembly, under the relevant agenda items.