TEHRAN - Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi said on Thursday that an attack on Iran’s consulate in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf was aimed at damaging relations between Iran and Iraq.

“Definitely, the objective behind setting fire on Iran’s consulate in Najaf is damaging good and brotherly relations between two neighboring countries of Iran and Iraq by certain foreign and internal elements in Iraq,” he said.

A group of rioters stormed into the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic mission in Najaf on Wednesday and set it ablaze. They also replaced the Iranian flag with an Iraqi one. Reportedly, the consulate had already been evacuated of its staff.

Masjedi noted that good relations between Iran and Iraq have made certain countries in the region angry.

He called on the Iranian people to practice self-restraint, noting that actions done by the limited number of rioters do not reflect actions of the Iraqi people.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has expressed disgust at the attack and urged the Iraqi government to “take responsible, decisive and effective action against destructive agents and aggressors.”

“Iran has officially communicated its strong protest to Iraq’s ambassador in Tehran,” Press TV quoted him as saying on Thursday.

NA