Knife-wielding Austrian man attempts to storm Iranian ambassador's residence

An Austrian man was shot dead after attacking a guard outside the Iranian ambassador's residence in Vienna on on Sunday night, according to al-Araby al-Jadeed.

Austrian police say they have no information yet on the motives of the attacker man who attacked a guard outside the Iranian ambassador's residence in Vienna and was then fatally shot.

Police said the guard, a 23-year-old Austrian soldier, first tried to deter the assailant in Sunday night's incident with pepper spray. After the attacker — a 26-year-old Austrian and Vienna resident — stabbed him, he fired several shots. The assailant died at the scene.

The soldier sustained cuts to his right arm but was protected from more serious injuries by his stab-proof jacket.

Police said Monday that the assailant's motives are "completely unclear" and the local branch of the domestic intelligence and anti-terror agency is looking into the case.

Police ordered reinforcements around all diplomatic missions in the Austrian capital, which is also home to many international organisations.

The incident comes only two days after four men climbed onto the balcony of the Iranian embassy in London and took town its national flag while waving another flag in support of Shia cleric Ayatollah Sadegh Hossein Shirazi, a critic of the current Iranian regime.

In December, a new right-wing government coalition was inaugurated in Austria. Formed of the country's conservative People's Party and the far-right Freedom Party, many fear a rising anti-Muslim sentiment backed up by harsh anti-immigration policies. It is not clear however if far-right extremism had anything to do with Sunday's incident.