Tehran and Baghdad have both condemned an attack on Iran’s consulate during riots in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf, with the Iraqi government saying the raid was actually meant to damage “historical” ties between the two neighbors.

On Wednesday, a group of rioters stormed into the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic mission in Najaf and set it ablaze. They also replaced the Iranian flag with an Iraqi one.
Police and civil defense first responders said the consulate had already been evacuated of its staff.
Speaking on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed disgust at the attack and urged the Iraqi government to “take responsible, decisive and effective action against destructive agents and aggressors.”
Reminding the Iraqi officials about their responsibility to protect diplomats and diplomatic missions, he said, “Iran has officially communicated its strong protest to Iraq’s ambassador in Tehran.”