Al-Azhar condemned the attack against the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad.

In its statement on Sunday, it showed its solidarity with the Saudi Arabia, its king and people.

The statement called for respecting and not interfering in the kingdom's domestic affairs, along with respecting the neighboring ties, supported by Islam principals and the international conventions.

Iranian demonstrators massed at the Saudi embassy gates and later broke into the embassy and started fires before being cleared away by the police.

Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement shortly afterwards, calling for calm and urging protesters to respect the diplomatic premises.

At least 44 people were arrested late Saturday for storming the diplomatic missions after Saudi Arabia announced it had executed prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other men on "terrorism" charges.

Source: MENA