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Iran claims Saudis bombed embassy in Yemen

Kuwait’s move came after the UN Security Council strongly condemned the attack, carried out by protesters angry at Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

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“In the coming months, maybe we will have some more turmoil… unfortunately emanating from this”, Ozcan said of the recent tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The Security Council joined those calls, issuing a statement urging all sides to “take steps to reduce tensions in the region”.

Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran early on Sunday and Shi’ite Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, predicted “divine vengeance” for the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an outspoken opponent of the ruling Al Saud family.

The announcement comes after Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed ties with Iran this week.

The deterioration of relations with Saudi Arabia “will have no impact on Iran’s national development”, Nobakht said, without elaborating. Iran has threatened to pursue legal action internationally over the incident.

Nobakht also criticized the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions, saying they were unbecoming of Iranians.

Already, there is talk that the Saudis are unhappy with the Obama administration – believing it has sacrificed its close relationship with Riyadh to enhance its ties with Teheran.

The prime minister is also trying to gain favor among Iraqi Sunnis in an effort to keep them from joining IS’s military campaign, which some analysts say helped Iraq recently retake a portion of Ramadi from Islamic militants.

The furore over Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shi’ite cleric has depressed the market as it put an end to speculation that OPEC members could agree on production cuts to lift prices.

Petra on Wednesday quoted the Jordanian Foreign Ministry as saying that the attacks on the diplomatic missions “constitute a flagrant violation of worldwide conventions”.

Nimr, one of 47 men executed on Saturday, was a driving force behind 2011 anti-government protests in eastern Saudi Arabia.

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Mr Nicholas Heras, research associate in the Middle East Security Programme at the Centre for a New American Security, echoed the sentiment, telling The Straits Times that while the USA will not want to be seen taking the Iranian position, it can not back Riyadh.

Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Fabrice Coffrini—AFP