Authorities in Tehran on Thursday accused the Saudi-led coalition now intervening against Houthi rebels in Yemen of hitting the Iranian Embassy in Sanaa in an overnight airstrike. In Iran, a Shiite majority country, protesters ransacked two Saudi missions-an embassy in the capital Tehran and a consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the BBC reports.
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The Saudi-led forces will investigate the accusations, coalition spokesman Brig.
Although Saudi has not admitted responsibility for the attack, Arab coalition spokesperson Ahmad al-Asiri claimed that the Houthis have used abandoned embassy buildings for military purposes.
The Associated Press reported that an AP correspondent in Sanaa could see no damage to the embassy.
But analysts say he has resisted pressure from Iranian-backed Shia militias, politicians and protesters to close the newly reopened Saudi embassy in Baghdad.
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”. Despite Kazemeini’s condemnation, the Iranian government has sought to shift blame elsewhere.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia share the same vision over the conflict in Syria where they believe only the ousting of President Bashar Al-Assad can bring an end to nearly five years of civil war. Iran has also announced a ban on the import of Saudi products.
President Hassan Rouhani criticized the incident and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice but Saudi Arabia made a decision to sever ties with Iran.
Since Saudi Arabia severed ties to Iran, a host of its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, have cut or reduced their ties as well.
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Later in the day, the Iranian foreign minister insisted in a letter to the United Nations chief that Tehran has no desire to escalate tensions and said Saudis must make a “crucial choice” – either continue supporting extremists and promoting sectarian hatred or promote good neighborliness and regional stability.
