Iranian women demonstrate in Tehran against the execution of prominent Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi authorities, on January 4, 2016.
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The execution of activist Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others sparked protests across the world, including an attack on the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran.
The deputy head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) told Saudi Arabia on Thursday it would “collapse” in coming years if it kept pursuing what he called its sectarian policies in the region. State media in Iran showed still photographs it said were of the diplomats arriving in Tehran on a Meraj Airlines jet.
“Saudi Arabia has moved against our efforts and, unfortunately, they opposed the nuclear agreement”, Zarif said.
“Saudi Arabia has been creating tensions and collisions in the region”.
In other developments, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir arrived in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, for meetings with Pakistani leaders.
After Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties with Iran, Bahrain and Sudan followed suit and the United Arab Emirates downgraded relations.
Mr Jaafari described the execution of Sheikh Nimr as a “crime”, but said Iraq was nevertheless ready to help “alleviate tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia”.
Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran have been standing on opposing sides in the Middle East’s worst conflicts.
Iran’s foreign minister Zarif accused Saudi Arabia of rebuffing Iran’s offers to cooperate on “terrorism and extremism”, while Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused Riyadh of fuelling regional tensions. Tehran is also reportedly backing the Houthis rebels in Yemen, while Saudi Arabia is leading a Sunni coalition in airstrikes seeking to restore control of the country for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. He expressed Kuwait’s support for Saudi Arabia in the measures it is taking to safeguard its security.
Speaking to Doha News, a Qatar Airways spokesperson said that it had no information regarding the suspension of flights to and from the three Iranian cities the airline flies to, adding that travelers can still book tickets to Tehran, Mashhad and Shiraz online.
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A Somali Foreign Ministry statement issued on Thursday accused Iran of trying to destabilize the Horn of Africa nation.
