In Iran, does history repeat itself?

Sectarianism, nor tribalism. The Saudis and the Iranians consider each other as apostates and not Muslim.

And be careful with your phrasing, only ISIS beheads, the Saudis execute. Talk like that will get the oil companies mad at you for criticizing the West’s true ally.

But I wouldn’t call a response to the Saudi embassy a repeat. Once every 35 years is not a common problem.

Listen, the events in 1979 were justified, OK?

There are so many levels of messages being sent, it’s ridiculous. My thoughts went towards the connections of the actions occurring there with the reprisals of the prisoner kill, including the cleric, in Saudi Arabia, and that of the release/return of some heavier hitters from Guantomino ( sp?) Bay being newly released by the US, back in to the Middle East forum. (Regardless of the country they return to.) That cleric et.al. were held there in prison for a long while. Why now? When was the last time you heard of Saudi Arabia carrying out such aggressions as mass executions of prisoners of that number and background? You don’t.
The Saudi government is complex, yet not ones to showboat beheadings, etc./ filmed dramatics as other groups. Sunni vs Shiite differences aside, this was some clear messages being sent to warn, retaliate, prove the validity of future actions, the fates of the release of some big players, etc.- shot directly and to the point. A huge message is being sent. Levels.
That is why I cringe at some of the political candidates who have no freaking idea what the hell has been going on over there, the egos, vendettas, cultures and all the major and minute differences of the groups in place, for them to know how and actually deal with it all. Almost like a field of land mines with a group of square dancers set loose upon it.
Levels and messages. The public has no idea what all is in play here. None.

The current and 1979 Tehran attacks don’t stand out together, as embassies get sacked fairly often.

When you’re angry at a foreign country, it’s more convenient than going overseas with a torches and pitchforks.

There’s even a Wikipedia page ‘List of attacks on diplomatic missions’ .

Seventeen in just the past year.

The two situations are quite different. I sympathise with the Iranians this time, Nimr al-Nimr’s ‘crime’ seems to be calling for democracy. I notice Saudi Arabia has broken off diplomatic ties with Iran. Where will this end?

The conspiracy theorist in me…
Israel is behind this. They have a silent but effective connection with Saudi Arabia on security matters. I doubt that this type of thing (killing the Sheik) went on without Israel being aware.

Israel has no problem sticking it to the Iranians in any way possible. And to some degree it’s a no-cost option for Israel, since they’re ready to bomb the crap out of Lebanon (Hisbollah) if Hisbollah starts shooting rockets at Northern Israel – and Russia and Iran know it.

My money is that Israel saw what Saudi Arabia is doing and tacitly approves. Even encourages it.