WNAM REPORT: The Iranian foreign ministry has summoned the Saudi Ambassador to Tehran after it was reported on Wednesday six Iranian nationals were executed by Saudi judicial authorities over drug trafficking.
Karimi Shasati, Director General of the Consular Affairs Office at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reacted to the news of the execution of six Iranian nationals imprisoned in Saudi Arabia on charges of drug trafficking, expressing the Iranian ministry’s strong protest against the action.
“These individuals had been sentenced to death by the Saudi Arabian judiciary several years ago on charges of drug trafficking, and during this time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made constant efforts to provide them with consular services and reduce their sentences. However, carrying out death sentences without prior notification to the embassy is unacceptable and violates the rules and regulations of international law, including the Convention on Consular Relations,” the Iranian diplomat told the Saudi ambassador in a meeting on Wednesday at the foreign ministry’s compound.
“In this regard, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Tehran was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a memorandum was sent to him, informing him of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s strong objections and the inconsistency of this action with the overall trend of judicial cooperation between the two countries and stressing the need to provide the necessary explanation in this regard on the part of the Saudi Arabia,” Karimi Shasati said.
A legal-consular delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also scheduled to depart for Riyadh to follow up on the issue.
