Iranian protesters call for Saudi Embassy’s closure

Iranians have staged a protest outside the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, denouncing the kingdom’s airstrikes on Yemen as well as the sexual abuse of two Iranian teenagers by Saudi officers at the Jeddah airport, Press TV reports.

During the Monday demo, the large group of angry demonstrators also shouted slogans against the Saudi royal family, the US, and Israel.

“We are here to show that we will defend an oppressed nation anywhere in the world. Such military aggression irrespective of its objectives is a blow to the Muslim ummah (community) and benefits the Zionist regime of Israel and major powers. The aggressive countries must explain why they are using their facilities to attack a Muslim state,” a protester told a Press TV correspondent in Tehran.

Yemani nationals and students living in Tehran also took part in the rally.

The protesters called on Iranian officials to immediately shut down the Saudi embassy.

“We strongly condemn what is happening in Yemen. Women are being killed, children are being killed, civilians are being killed and I don’t find this acceptable. It is totally unacceptable,” another protester told the correspondent.

A similar rally was also held outside the Saudi embassy on Saturday.

Also on Monday, Colonel Sharaf Luqman, Yemen’s armed forces and Popular Committees spokesman, said in a press conference that civilians and Yemeni infrastructure have been the target of the Saudi aggression, adding, “Saudi Arabia is the international supporter of terrorism.”

In excess of 2,500 civilians have been killed in the Saudi aggression, he said, adding that Saudi air raids are hitting residential buildings. Saudi Arabia is “targeting everything” in Yemen, Luqman added.

Saudi Arabia’s air campaign against Yemen started on March 26 without a UN mandate in a bid to restore power to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani ordered the suspension of the Umrah hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia following the recent sexual abuse of two Iranian teenagers by Saudi officers at the Jeddah airport.

Saudi officers sexually harassed two Iranian teenage boys at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah two weeks ago, prompting Tehran to submit a note of complaint to the Saudi government.