An attempt to kidnap and assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Cairo by a group of Iranians was thwarted on Tuesday, a high-ranking Saudi official said.

According to Muhammad Jamal Adin, who serves as the legal adviser to the Saudi embassy in Egypt, a group of Iranians attempted to kidnap Ambassador Ahmad Qatan, days after the same group attempted to break into the Saudi embassy.

The attempted break-in took place after Egyptians massed outside the Saudi embassy to protest the detention of Egyptian lawyer Ahmad Al- Jizawi. The crowd, which included the Iranians, attempted to force its way into the embassy.

In response to the break-in and the subsequent kidnapping attempt, Adin said that the embassy would be shut down, along with the Saudi consulates in Alexandria and Suez.

Adin also stated that Egyptian authorities arrested three Iranian citizens who attempted to assassinate Qatan. Saudi Arabia and Egypt have agreed not to release the details of the steps that will be taken in order to safeguard the ambassador.

Iran has made previous attempt to harm Saudi diplomats, most prominantly when a group of Iranians broke into the Saudi embassy in Tehran in 1980. (© Copyright 2012 Ha´aretz 05/02/12)