The small state lies at the mouth of the Red Sea, just across from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition launched an air war in March against Iran-backed Huthi rebels who seized control of the capital Sanaa.
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The Shia-led government in Baghdad relies on Iranian help to battle the militant Islamic State (IS) group, but is also trying to fix ties to oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which last week sent an ambassador to Baghdad for the first time in 25 years. The Wednesday night attack allegedly wounded several Iranian staff. Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri has denied the claims saying in a statement that “the allegations are false and that no operations were carried out around the embassy or near to it”.
The ban comes after almost a week of tension week between the two rivals that started when Saudi Arabia executed 47 people, including prominent Iranian cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr.
“During an air raid by Saudi Arabia against Sanaa, a rocket fell near our embassy and unfortunately one of our guards was seriously wounded”, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, quoted by official news agency IRNA.
Al-Jaafari said at the press conference that Iraq is trying to build on newly established diplomatic connections, while he assured the Saudi monarch that the embassy would remain protected and in place, Reuters reports.
Shiite-dominated Iran made this known following Saudi’s (main Sunni power) cutting off of diplomatic ties.
Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, predicted “divine vengeance” for the execution of al-Nimr, an outspoken opponent of the ruling Al Saud family.
Since Saudi Arabia severed ties to Iran, a host of its allies have cut or reduced their ties as well. It said the decision came during an emergency meeting of the Cabinet of President Hassan Rouhani.
The Iranian government has recently banned the import of products from Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia’s goods from other countries.
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“Because a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran is the beginning of a major catastrophe in the region…”
