On Wednesday, Iranian diplomats in Saudi Arabia returned to Tehran, according to state media.
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The escalating tensions between the two adversaries may imperil efforts to end the wars gripping Syria and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran back rival sides.
Erdogan dismissed suggestions that the executions were aimed at provoking tensions with Shia Muslims and also said the attack on the Saudi mission was “unacceptable”. Riyadh, Bahrain and Sudan severed relations with Tehran while Kuwait recalled its ambassador.
SAUDI warplanes have been accused of “deliberately” striking Iran’s embassy in Yemen in an air raid that wounded staff, as Iran banned all Saudi Arabian imports.
In Yemen, a Saudi-led military coalition has battled rebel factions that Saudi Arabia claims are aided by Iran.
The Yemeni conflict, which pits the rebels known as Huthis against pro-government forces backed by Riyadh and other Gulf Arab states, is one of the main sources of dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
A Sanaa resident went to the embassy on Thursday and reported no damage but said some shrapnel was strewn nearby.
Dan De Luce, Foreign Policy magazine’s chief national correspondent, said the United States and European nations warned the Saudi government not to follow through with the execution, fearing it could derail peace talks. Nimr al-Nimr had demanded more rights for Shiites, who are a minority in Saudi Arabia, where most citizens are Sunni Muslims.
Addressing Friday prayers worshippers in Tehran, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani condemned the execution of Sheikh Nimr by Saudi Arabia.
The crisis has seen Saudi Arabia sever ties with Iran after crowds of protesters in Iran attacked two of its diplomatic posts on Sunday.
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The Saudi authorities should have not responded to the criticisms of al-Nimr by beheading him, Rouhani said in a meeting with visiting Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen. Iran’s annual imports from Saudi Arabia total about $60 million a year and consisted mostly of packing materials and textiles.
