Iran press/Iran: Iran opened on Tuesday a new consulate building in the Iraqi southern province of Basra after the country's previous consulate building was burned by some protesters last Friday.
Iran's ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi said: "I'm here to inaugurate the new premises of our Iranian consulate in Basra... because we don't want lose a single day of services for the people of Basra."
The Iraqi foreign ministry condemned the attack, saying that it harms the Arab country's interests.
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Iraqi Media: "Riyadh implicated in Iran consulate incident in Basra"
On Thursday evening Sep 8, a number of protesters attacked and torched Iraqi political party offices and headquarters, including Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Protesters in the southern city of Basra are rioting over poor public services, especially the lack of drinking water.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, has ordered an inquiry into the violence, while the parliament announced it will hold an emergency session on Saturday.
Basra is an important hub for oil exports, which account for over 95 percent of Iraq’s government revenues. Long neglected, the city is one of the few cities in the Middle East without an effective water treatment system. State officials blame a public funding crisis caused by years of low oil prices.
The city has been hit by protests against poor public services since early July.
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