A number of Iranian officials went on to insinuate that the attacks could have been carried out by “infiltrators” with alleged ties to foreign governments, including Saudi Arabia.
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At a press conference in the capital, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Riyadh must end prolonged efforts to confront Iran.
“In the short term, there is no chance of an agreement within OPEC regarding production, and assuming there was some small chance, it has disappeared with the current crisis in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran”, said Pierre Terzian, head of the Petrostrategies weekly.
This comes as tensions between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia are rising following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shiite cleric last weekend.
Among those expressing their anger against Saudi Arabia are Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq.
The flare-up between Saudi Arabia and Iran involves far more than another outburst of Shiite-Sunni rivalry, which dates back to the seventh century Battle of Karbala, though no doubt that ancient feud fuels resentment on both sides of this basic Muslim divide.
Iran’s interior minister is working to identify the main perpetrators, possible organizers and who may have worked behind the scenes to the stage the attacks.
Nimr was executed on Saturday along with 46 other prisoners that Riyadh said were “terrorists”.
Iran denies all those charges and Nimr’s family say he advocated peaceful change, took no part in violence and had no links to Tehran. Meanwhile, more protests were expected after Friday prayers, while mourners in Bahrain planned a candlelight vigil for the sheikh on Friday night.
The Saudi side has not confirmed the airstrike claim.
Qatar recalled its ambassador to Iran on Wednesday, state news agency QNA said, after allies Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cut their ties with Tehran following attacks on Saudi missions by Iranian protesters.
“Given that Turkey is finding it hard to get additional support in the region for its objectives in Syria, the relationship with Saudi Arabia has become critical”.
That deal, when finally implemented, will end sanctions on Iran’s oil and gas industry and could see the Islamic republic challenge Saudi Arabia’s role as the Middle East’s dominant energy and economic power.
Even if one recognizes the Iranian-Saudi conflict predated the Iran nuclear deal, it is hard to argue the deal did not make things worse. Iran’s annual imports from Saudi Arabia total about $60 million a year and consisted mostly of packing materials and textiles.
Both Turkey and Russian Federation have offered to diplomatically mediate talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran to deescalate the situation.
Iranian state media reported similar protests taking place in other Iranian cities and towns. It has faced low-level unrest since 2011 Arab Spring-inspired protests by Shiites seeking more political rights.
Riyadh has said the executions were an internal security matter, and among those put to death were many Al-Qaeda-linked militants convicted of attacks in the kingdom.
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The US is rightly concerned about the potential escalation of the conflict between the two countries, which can benefit ISIS and potentially lead to another unforeseen conflagration that may engulf several states in the area.
