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Protesters Storm, Set Fire To Saudi Embassy In Iran

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia announced it had staged its largest mass execution in 25 years. 

43 al-Qaeda conspirators were killed along with 4 Shiites accused of shooting policemen in the anti-government protests which broke out during the Arab Spring. Among the Shiites killed: prominent cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

His death drew sharp criticism from Iran and Hezbollah with the latter calling the execution a “grave mistake.” Protests erupted in the Qatif district of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province as well as in Bahrain, where hundreds took to the streets, burning tires and braving tear gas fired by police. As we reported earlier today, protesters had also converged on the Saudi embassy in Iran. 

Now, in what looks like a repeat of the Iran Hostage Crisis, the protesters in Tehran have reportedly broken into the Saudi embassy and set it ablaze with Molotov cocktails. 

"Images shared on social media early on Sunday morning appeared to show Iranian protesters breaking into Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran and starting fires, after gathering there to denounce the kingdom's execution of a Shi'ite cleric," Reuters reports, adding that. "One photograph, posted on Twitter, showed protesters outside the embassy building with small fires burning inside, while another showed a room with smashed furniture purportedly inside the building."

As a reminder, the Sheikh was a prominent voice in the anti-government movement in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh effectively killed (literally) two birds with one stone with his execution: 1) a dissident voice was forever silenced, 2) a message was sent to Tehran, whose regional influence is expanding in Iraq and Yemen and whose forces have served to shore up the Assad government in its fight against Sunni extremists in Syria.

Now, the Iranians look set to send a message back to Riyadh.

If this situation escalates, clearly crude oil will be well bid on Sunday afternoon.

Source
Saudi Arabia