Iranians hold portraits of Shiite clreric Nimr al-Nimr during a protest in Tehran.
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Bahrain and Sudan cut all ties with Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to hundreds of thousands of Iranians, downgraded its relations. On Monday, Riyadh also announced that it would prevent its nationals from flying to Iran.
Demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran for a third consecutive day of protests on Monday after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric and broke off ties with Iran.
The execution on Saturday sparked outrage across the Shiite world and beyond, with leaders accusing Saudi Arabia of attempting to stoke tensions across the region.
Tension between the two countries has spiked after the Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia executed Shi’ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, among 46 others, on Saturday.
Insisting Riyadh would react to “Iranian aggression”, he accused Tehran of dispatching fighters to Arab countries and plotting attacks inside the kingdom and its Gulf neighbours.
“We are determined not to allow Iran to undermine our security, we are determined not to let Iran mobilise or create or establish terrorist cells in our country or in the countries of our allies”, Al-Jubeir said.
It blamed the decision on the “cowardly” attack on Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic mission as well as allegations that Iran smuggles weapons and explosives into Bahrain.
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke Sunday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and on Monday with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Kirby said.
“Saudi Arabia, gripped by crises inside and outside its territories, follows the policy of increasing regional tensions”, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi-Ansari said at a weekly news briefing, in remarks that were broadcast live by state-run news channel Irinn. Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had condemned the attack on the Saudi Arabian embassy and ordered the arrest of those involved.
Saudi Arabia responded by announcing it was severing diplomatic ties with Iran over the attacks.
When Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran from 1988 to 1991, Iran stopped its pilgrims from attending the hajj.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly stopping all flights to and from Iran – and banning its citizens from travelling there.
“We condemn and do not support the death penalty in any circumstances and that includes Saudi Arabia… we always make representations on the death penalty and the foreign office ministers made it very clear on this occasion”. The RIA Novosti news agency did not say whether Moscow had made the mediation proposal to either side.
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The disruption in relations may have implications for peace efforts in Syria.
