The OIC said in its statement that it condemned the aggression against the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, and “rejects and condemns Iran’s inflammatory statements” on the execution on the cleric.
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Ministers and senior officials from 37 member countries of the 57-member OIC attended the meeting, which was convened following a request from Saudi Arabia to discuss the repercussions of the attacks on its embassy and consulate in Iran.
The incident occurred late at night after Saudi Arabia executed Shiite cleric and activist Nimr al-Nimr, a force behind 2011 anti-government protests in the eastern province, for crimes against the kingdom.
It said the Saudi diplomatic missions should have been protected in line with global laws and that Iran had failed to fulfill this requirement.
The Saudi Foreign Minister said these attacks showcase Iran’s aggressive policies and its constant incitement of sectarianism in the region.
Iran emerged from years of being considered a pariah state at the weekend after the United States, European Union and United Nations lifted sanctions linked to its nuclear programme under an global deal which involved Germany. Nimr was one of four Shias put to death on January 2 alongside 43 Sunnis.
OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani, a Saudi, said the continued strains in relations between some member countries was contributing to “deepening the fractures in the Islamic political entity”.
Saudi Arabia and China said in a statement that they affirmed their support for the unity, independence and sovereignty of Yemen.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said in several interviews this month that full relations can not be restored until Iran changes its behavior and acts like a normal state rather than like “a revolution”. It also called on member states and the worldwide community to take serious and effective steps to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of such aggressions on diplomatic and consular missions in Iran in the future.
On Tuesday, the prime minister of Pakistan offered to host talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran with an aim to resolve disputes between the two states. Iran has also consolidated its influence in Iraq and Lebanon.
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The pan-Islamic Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which is based in the Saudi city of Jeddah, appeared to take a balanced response to the Riyadh-Tehran crisis after the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council both took stridently pro-Saudi positions.
