As many as 40 people have been arrested after Saudi Arabia's embassy was attacked and set on fire following outrage at the kingdom's execution of a Shiite cleric Nimr al Nimr.

The suspects were identified and arrested and other detentions could follow, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.

Demonstrators massed at the 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.

Saudi Arabia executed Sheikh Nimr alongside 46 others including dozens of al Qaeda members.

In a joint press conference by the Saudi Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice, it was announced the terrorists were executed for their actions and not for their affiliations.

Source: MENA