Attack on the Saudi Arabia consulate in Mashhad The 2016 attack on the Saudi consulate, In Mashhad, Iran's second largest city, was a group action on 2 January 2016 by protesters against the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr a prominent Saudi Arabian Shi'a cleric. demonstrators stormed the Saudi consulate in Mashhad and take down the Saudi flag. On 3 January riot police were deployed to protect the of the Saudi consulate. The Protesters who tried to gather nearby were dispersed by water cannons.