Anti-Saudi protests were held in Iran on Friday (Jan 8) against Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and after Tehran accused its regional rival of bombing its Yemen embassy.
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The Protesters demanded that the Canadian government immediately cancel the 15 Billion dollar contract to manufacture Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) for Saudi Arabia and to stripped Saudi Arabia from their position on the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Tehran warned that Saudi Arabia would pay a “steep price” for the cleric’s death, while Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and the Iranian city of Mashhad.
“The coalition command confirmed that these (Iranian) allegations are false and void, stressing that it does not carry out any operations in the vicinity of the embassy or near it”, a statement on the state Saudi news agency SPA said late on Thursday.
He echoed comments made on Monday by Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, who said that “By adopting terroristic and inhuman policies, the [Saudi] regime will not achieve enhanced security”.
The crisis between conservative Sunni kingdom and Shi’ite power Iran, both major oil exporters, started when Saudi Arabia executed Shi’ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2, triggering outrage among Shi’ites across the Middle East.
He said Saudi bombers hit Iranian diplomatic facilities in Yemen several times, “killing two local service personnel, injuring a number of Yemeni guards and inflicting damage to the buildings”. The United Arab Emirates downgraded relations with Iran, while Kuwait and Qatar have recalled their ambassadors.
Iran hit back Thursday by announcing a ban on imports from the kingdom, which will reportedly affect goods worth about $40 million.
Pakistan has assured Saudi Arabia of support after the diplomatic tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia escalated in response to an arson attack on Saudi embassy in Tehran.
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The growing tensions have heaped doubt on a UN-backed plan that foresees talks between the Syrian sides this month in a bid to end a war that has claimed more than a quarter of a million lives.
