“For the past two-and-a-half years, Saudi Arabia has opposed Iran’s diplomacy”, Zarif said at a joint press conference in Tehran with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. State media in Iran showed still photographs it said were of the diplomats arriving in Tehran on a Meraj Airlines jet.
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The assaults on its missions prompted Riyadh on Sunday to break off diplomatic ties with Iran and order its diplomats to leave the kingdom.
But Al-Jubeir blamed Iran for not stepping in to protect the embassy from the protesters, who threw stones and Molotov cocktails that set off a fire, and said Saudi Arabia’s leaders believe the bombardment was “coordinated”.
“Current bilateral engagement includes a particular focus on Saudi Arabia and the UAE”, it says.
Saudi Arabia supports the city dominated opposition…in Syria and it seeks to housed Syrian president the child son… meanwhile Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah support the Assad regime of money weapons and soldiers… if you are is also back opposing sides of the conflicts in Yemen…
The guards had previously issued harsh criticism against Saudi Arabia for its execution of Nimr.
Nevertheless, many in Riyadh insist the government was not trying to pick a new fight with Iran by executing Nimr, a cleric Riyadh had long accused of stirring up unrest, and who was executed along with dozens of Sunni Muslims also accused of terrorism.
On Wednesday, Oman broke its silence and called the diplomatic post attacks “unacceptable”, while leaving its ties to the Islamic Republic untouched.
The violence has undermined the president’s efforts in the Middle East and beyond to bring Iran out of its relative isolation – exemplified by last year’s deal with world powers on its nuclear programme.
Bahrain and Sudan have also cut ties, the UAE has downgraded its diplomatic presence in Tehran, while Kuwait removed its ambassador.
Iran’s diplomatic rift with regional rival Saudi Arabia will stiffen the challenge it faces in attracting foreign investment once sanctions on its economy are lifted, according to analysts from IHS, Energy Aspects and Emirates NBD.
In eastern Saudi Arabia, where Mr al-Nimr agitated for greater political rights for Shiites in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, three days of mourning over his death were to end on Wednesday night. Mohammed al-Nimr, the sheikh’s brother, said people planned to hold a funeral Thursday for the cleric, though Saudi authorities already buried his corpses in an undisclosed cemetery.
Saudi Arabia, Opec’s biggest producer, has resisted Iran’s requests for some in the group to reduce output to make room for the expected increase in Iranian shipments.
“His visit would allay the Gulf states’ concerns that the U.S.is being more critical of Saudi Arabia than Iran, a perception that could further reduce US influence, especially in Riyadh when it is needed the most”, Ben-Meir wrote.
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“It is not going to be helpful for us to own this process, certainly to be seen to be driving it”, the USA official said.
