A protest by hundreds of Bahrain’s majority Shiites marching to denounce Saudi Arabia for its execution last week of a leading Shiite cleric has descended into violence.
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Residents and witnesses in Sanaa had told Reuters there was no damage to the Iranian embassy building.
RIYADH, Jan 7 (Reuters) – The diplomatic rupture with Iran triggered by the execution of a Shi’ite cleric was probably a side effect of a decision taken by Saudi Arabia for domestic reasons, rather than the outcome of a deliberate ploy to enrage its regional opponent.
Later in the day, the Iranian foreign minister insisted in a letter to the United Nations chief that Tehran has no desire to escalate tensions and said Saudis must make a “crucial choice” – either continue supporting extremists and promoting sectarian hatred or promote good neighborliness and regional stability.
The cleric then argued that three main sources lie at the root of all crimes against Muslims in the world, saying the plots are masterminded by Israel, supported by the U.S. and funded by Saudi Arabia.
After Friday prayers in Tehran, thousands of worshippers joined the rally, carrying pictures of al-Nimr and chanting “Death to Al Saud”, referencing the kingdom’s royal family.
More than 1,040 people were detained in Shiite protests in eastern Saudi Arabia between February 2011 and August 2014, demonstrations inspired by the Arab Spring, according to Human Rights Watch.
Nimr was executed along with 46 other prisoners who Riyadh said were “terrorists”.
In response, protesters in Iran stormed and set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in the second city of Mashhad.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran on Sunday after an Iranian mob attacked two of its diplomatic posts in the country. Djibouti, Bahrain and Sudan also followed suit, while the United Arab Emirates downgraded diplomatic ties with Tehran.
Special UN envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed arrived in Riyadh Friday to meet Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, the government’s delegation to the talks and political party leaders, as well as senior Saudi officials, the UN said in Geneva. Tehran is providing military assistance to close ally President Bashar al-Assad against rebel groups, some backed by Saudi Arabia.
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Iran yesterday accused Saudi warplanes of deliberately bombing its embassy in Yemen, in a new escalation of diplomatic tensions that have reverberated across the Middle East. Shiite-dominated Iran also announced a ban on imports of all products from its Sunni-ruled rival, following a dramatic chill in relations that has triggered global alarm.
