Saudi breakup with Iran to harm Riyadh

In doing so, it made a growing sectarian problem in the region even worse; goaded Iranian hard-liners into storming the Saudi Embassy in Tehran; and severed diplomatic ties with Iran – all while refusing for the past two-and-a-half years to meet directly with Iran to de-escalate tensions.

“Not letting the Vienna process stall or fall backward is clearly top on his list”, he said, referring to talks in the Austrian capital that brought Saudi and Iranian officials together to try to end the Syrian war.

President Rouhani then noted the financial and military support of regional terrorism as well as missile and airstrike attacks by the Saudi regime against the innocent people of Yemen, as well as throwing hurdles in the way of victories for Iraqi and Syrian governments; “all these measures have been taken with an aim to create further gaps between Shias and Sunnis and escalate tension in the region”, he added.

The diplomatic standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia began Saturday, when the kingdom executed al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges – the largest mass execution it has carried out since 1980.

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, has a Sunni-ruled monarchy but a Shiite majority. In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Iran’s United Nations envoy Gholamali Khoshroo said more than 40 protesters have been arrested and that authorities are searching for other suspects.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday in a communique announced that the country has broken off diplomatic relations with Iran.

Kuwait on Tuesday recalled its ambassador from Iran as a reaction to the attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, and its Consulate-General in Mashhad, during which they were ransacked and set alight. The former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Abdulaziz Khoja was subjected to threats which forced him to return, “demonstrators” killed a Saudi employee at the embassy in Iran by throwing him from the third floor and another Saudi diplomat was attacked and his eyes gouged out.

The Egyptian diplomat also reaffirmed his country’s support for Saudi Arabia ahead of an upcoming meeting of foreign ministers at the Arab League that is due to discuss the Iran-Saudi spat. The deal, which seeks in part to replenish bombs and missiles used in the Saudi battle against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, should be finalized in coming months. “We are constrained and we are acquiescing to a certain degree to ensure we maintain a functional relationship with the Iranians”.

Since Saudi Arabia severed ties to Iran, a host of its allies have cut or reduced their ties as well. Egypt cut ties with Iran in 1989.

Any direct collision could jeopardize the American-led deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear capabilities if the US and the West are being seen as siding with Saudi Arabia, a close Washington ally.