Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah said the emirate also summoned Iran’s ambassador to hand him a memorandum that condemned the attacks and called on Iran to “respect its global obligations”, according to the official KUNA news agency.
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It did not, however, expel Tehran’s ambassador or downgrade the level of diplomatic relationship with Iran.
Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have already triggered worries of economic fallout.
And on Monday, the UN Security Council issued a strongly worded statement condemning the attack on the Saudi embassy – making no mention of the execution of the cleric. It condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks which saw protesters firebomb the Saudi embassy in Teheran and its consulate in Masshad. Commentators traced Saudi Arabia’s decision to go ahead with the execution of Nimr al-Nimr to its losing hand in Syria and Yemen, especially.
Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia has since severed ties with Tehran, a move that has been copied by Saudi allies Bahrain and Sudan.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani remained defiant yesterday, saying Saudi Arabia can not hide “its crime” of executing the Shi’ite cleric by cutting ties with Teheran.
Riyadh announces the execution of Nimr, 56, who had voiced bitter opposition to the Saudi royal family, and 46 other “terrorists”.
The recent renewal of hostilities between Iran and Saudi Arabia may, ironically, be a silver lining for other oil exporting countries.
Earlier, Japan’s envoy to the UN Motohide Yoshikawa had said that Tokyo may use its close ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia to help restore the balance in the Middle East.
China on Monday voiced concern over the Saudi-Iran row, calling on the two countries to keep calm and show restraint.
Some nations have followed the Saudis’ lead in severing or downgrading ties with Iran, while others have offered words of caution aimed at cooling the war of words before it escalates further. “It is the Iranians who sent their Qods Force and their Revolutionary Guards into Syria”, Jubeir said.
He said Riyadh would attend the upcoming talks on Syria, but took a swipe at Iran’s role in the almost five-year war there, saying: “They have been taking provocative and negative positions… and I don’t think the break in relations is going to dissuade them from such behaviour”.
Ban wanted to ensure that both Iran and Saudi Arabia, regional rivals with a long history of tense relations, continue their commitment to ending the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, where the two countries back opposing sides, Dujarric said.
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“We want to see tensions reduced, we want to see dialogue restored”, said John Kirby, the State Department spokesman.
