The twin sons of the Iraqi ambassador in Portugal accused of running over and brutally beating a 15-year-old to the verge of death last week may lose their diplomatic immunity in a case which has shocked the country.

Portugal’s foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva, said that his government has asked Iraq to waive the two 17-year-old brothers’ right to immunity against prosecution and is currently awaiting a response.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told the Iraqi ambassador that to establish the facts in this case we need Iraq to waive diplomatic immunity,” Mr Santos Silva said on national television on Monday, adding that he expected “full cooperation from the Iraqi authorities”.

Before their identity and diplomatic status was established, the two sons of Ambassador Saad Mohammed Ridha were briefly detained by police in the town of Ponte de Sor after they had fought with local boy Rúben Cavaco. They were accused of running over the 15-year-old in their car in the early hours of August 17 before kicking their victim in the head until he lost consciousness.

The twins Haider and Ridha told Portugal’s SIC television channel that they were sorry for what they had done, admitting they had “lost control” after drinking large amounts of alcohol.