Albanian Government’s Vandalism Against Iran

Date: 09 September 2022 - 21:58

News ID: ۱۰۶۷۲۷

TEHRAN -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday voiced concern about reports of inappropriate conduct of Albanian authorities toward the Iranian embassy and its staff in the capital, Tirana, saying Albania will be responsible for any acts of violation against the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic mission in the Balkan country. Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani made the remarks after media reports said Albanian police forces had illegally entered the Iranian embassy in Tirana and conducted

search operations in the empty diplomatic mission following the severance of ties between the two countries.
Albanian special police forces, wearing masks and helmets and carrying automatic rifles, were said to have violated the compound of Iran’s diplomatic mission after two cars with diplomatic plates had left.
The reports said the Albanian police were inside the diplomatic mission for 30 minutes and searched the building which still flew the Iranian flag.
“If the reports by media outlets are true, this was a behavior contrary to international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Rights,” Kanaani said.
He said Iran holds the Albanian government accountable for any act of violation targeting its embassy in Tirana.
Under international law, embassies and consulates receive special protection and immunity and are regarded as the territory or “soil” of the sending state.
The trespassing took place a day after Albania, which has for years hosted anti-Iran terrorists in collusion with the U.S., severed diplomatic ties with Tehran, accusing it of orchestrating a July “cyberattack” against Tirana.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama ordered Iranian diplomats and embassy staff to leave within 24 hours, following a so-called investigation into the alleged cyberattack.
On Wednesday, Kanaani denounced Albania’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Iran as “injudicious” and “lacking in foresight.”
He also dismissed allegations leveled against Tehran as “baseless” and “unsubstantiated,” while blaming “third parties” for Albania’s decision to cut ties with Iran.
He said the U.S., the occupying regime of Israel and MKO terrorists residing in Albania since 2016 are the “third parties” that have propelled Tirana into taking the decision.
Albania took in around 3,000 members of the MKO terrorist group in 2016 at the request of Washington, after the group was disowned by Iraq and snubbed by many European countries.
The anti-Iran terrorist group based in Albania has carried out numerous acts of terrorism on Iranian soil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, martyring senior political leaders, clerics and thousands of ordinary civilians.