Senior MP Blames Ba'athis for Attack on Iranian Consulate in Basra

Rasa - Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said that the remnants of the dissolved Ba'ath party who are angry with the friendly ties between Tehran and Baghdad have spearheaded the recent attack on Iran's consulate in Basra.

News ID: 439471

Date: 10 September 2018 - 12:56

RNA - "The attack on the Iranian consulate in Basra was a political move headed by the Ba'athis who can be identified and of course, the Iraqi government should compensate for this attack in spiritual and material dimensions," Falahatpisheh said on Sunday.

He underlined that the attack on Iran's consulate was against the international rules and conventions, and added, "Naturally, the Iraqi government is responsible to protect the Iranian consulate and embassy."

"Under such circumstances that Iran and Iraq enjoy special ties, the extremist forces have attempted to harm the relations through widening differences and therefore, both sides should be vigilant," Falahatpisheh said.

According to Fars News Agency, Iraqis in Southern areas of the country are demonstrating against lack of public services in poor areas and the angry protestors have set many government buildings and diplomatic missions in Basra on fire.

Protesters stormed the Iranian consulate in Southern Iraq's city of Basra on Friday, setting it on fire as part of demonstrations against lack of services and jobs in which several government buildings have been ransacked and torched.

Demonstrators on Friday broke into the consulate building in Basra which was empty when the crowd burst in.

Iraqi security officials announced a citywide curfew in Basra, a city of two million people, warning that "anyone present in the street" would be arrested.

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