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1st LD: Protesters set Saudi consulate in fire in Iran's Mashhad city

Xinhua, January 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

Iranian protesters against the execution of a Shi'ite leader by Saudi Arabia set parts of Saudi consulate in fire in Iran's northeastern religious city of Mashhad on Saturday, Tabnak news website reported.

The move came after the Saudi Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that 47 people, including the prominent Shi'ite leader Nimr al-Nimr, were executed on terrorist charges.

The protesters gathered in front of the Saudi consulate and chanted slogans against the Arab state's authorities, according to the report.

They pulled down the flag of Saudi Arabia from the building of the consulate and throw handmade crackers which caused fire in part of the building, it said.

Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Saudi Arabian charge d'affaires to Tehran and strongly condemned the execution of Nimr al-Nimr.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian conveyed the strong protest of Islamic republic to the Saudi envoy, Ahmed al-Muwallid, over what he called the "irresponsible behavior" of the Saudi officials in this regard, according to the state TV. Endit