The accusation comes on the heels of Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, which inflamed the predominately Shia Iran.
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Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia deteriorated even further on Thursday as Tehran severed all commercial ties with Riyadh and accused Saudi jets of attacking its embassy in Yemen’s capital.
A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, told Reuters the Iranians’ claim would be investigated. Iran is working on a report to the UN Security Council over Saudi Arabia’s air raid against the Iranian embassy in the Yemeni capital Sana, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said. Gulf states including Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates had already recalled their ambassadors to the country, while Saudi Arabia has cut off all diplomatic and commercial relations.
China has sent an envoy to Saudi Arabia and Iran amid an escalating feud, the Chinese foreign ministry said yesterday, calling on all sides to exercise restraint. They are targeted by an ongoing Saudi-led military campaign on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The crisis has seen Saudi Arabia sever ties with Iran, followed by Tehran’s decision to ban all imports from the kingdom. Condemning the move, protesters took to the streets in Iran, the biggest Shiite country, and attacked the Saudi embassy. Saudi Arabia “can go on extending support to extremist terrorists and promoting sectarian hatred or choose the path to good neighborliness and playing a constructive role in regional stability”.
Saudi diplomatic buildings in the Iranian cities of Tehran and Mashhad were attacked and set on fire following the beheading.
The Arab League will hold an emergency meeting on the issue on Sunday, chaired by the UAE.
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Sunni-ruled Bahrain joined Saudi Arabia in cutting ties with Iran, a mutual foe and the region’s preeminent Shi’ite power, after demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
