Despite Iran Rift, Peace Still Possible in Syria, Yemen — Saudi UN Ambassador

“Mr al-Nimr was a Saudi citizen”.

Meanwhile Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of Shiite protesters marched in Sitra, south of Bahrain’s capital, Manama, over al-Nimr’s execution.

Saudi ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said his country expected the UN Security Council to urge the Iranian government to provide “adequate protection” for its embassies and pledged his country’s continued support for the peace efforts in Syria and Yemen.

The Iranian government is trying to calm tensions by distancing itself from the attack on the Saudi embassy and even blaming foreign elements for organising it. The 47 executed persons included a Chadian national and an Egyptian with the remainder being Saudis. He had been sharing brittle relationship with Saudi authorities since his return to Saudi Arabia in 1994.

Thousands of supporters of prominent Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr protest in Baghdad to demand that it sever ties with Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has voiced its determination that tensions with Iran will not hamper talks on Syria’s political process, scheduled for Geneva this month, the United Nations special envoy for Syria said on Tuesday.

The announcement comes after Sunni-led Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed ties with predominantly Shiite Iran this week.

The United Arab Emirates has also scaled back its diplomatic representation to Tehran.

The concerted campaign by Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia highlights the aggressive stance King Salman and his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have adopted in confronting Iran, a longtime regional rival.

Many countries including world powers on Monday expressed concern over rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as unrest in the Middle East.

“Saudis are advised to stop acting in a disruptive, hasty, illogical and emotional manner as well as works, because they are the ones who will face losses in cutting ties with Iran”. The country is also recalling its ambassador in Tehran, AP reported. It wasn’t immediately clear how the Kuwait-Iran diplomatic ties would be affected by the move.

One of those countries may become Bahrain, where the majority of population is Shiite Muslims, he said.

“Responding to a question, Earnest expressed concerns over the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia in particular the recent execution of political and religious leaders in that country”. Carrying out his execution sparked new unrest among the OPEC powerhouse’s Shiite minority.

Secretary-General Ban phoned Saudi Foreign Minister Abel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to urge them to “avoid any actions that could further exacerbate the situation”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said on Tuesay it would hold an extraordinary meeting in Riyadh on Saturday to discuss “the repercussions” of the diplomatic mission attacks.

“The diplomatic crisis follows the Saudi execution of a top Shia cleric last week that was internationally condemned”.

Iran is the leading Shia Muslim nation in the Middle East while Saudi Arabia is the leading Sunni power.

The severance of diplomatic relations between the two powerful Islamic states in the heart of the Middle East will negatively affect regional peace and security, and have significant geopolitical implications.

The White House also feared the diplomatic spat could derail talks to end the Syrian conflict.