After Saudi Spat, Djibouti Joins List Of Countries Severing Ties With Iran

The mistreatment of Iranian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia is another factor which has fueled “public outrage in Iran” at Saudi officials, Zarif said.

Saudi coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri said their jets carried out heavy strikes in Sanaa on Wednesday night, targetting missile launchers used by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia.

Iran warned Saudi Arabia to stop working against it on Wednesday as their diplomatic crisis intensified despite efforts to defuse a row that has raised fears of regional instability.

Hours later, in Saudi Arabia’s eastern Shiite heartland, a memorial service was held honoring Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution Saturday by the kingdom sparked regional protests culminating in attacks on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran.

The deputy head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) told Saudi Arabia it would “collapse” in coming years if it kept pursuing what he called its sectarian policies in the region.

Jordan and Kuwait have both summoned their envoys to Iran and the United Arab Emirates has partially downgraded its diplomatic relations with Tehran.

“This responsibility has been given to us and we have been active from the early moments to lessen tensions to prevent a disaster from happening that could affect the entire region”, he said.

The comments came as 54 Iranian diplomats and their families returned to Iran after the Shiite regime cut diplomatic ties with the Saudis following the execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Meanwhile Thursday, Iran banned the import of goods from Saudi Arabia over the tensions, according to a report by Iranian state television.

“It said the U.S.is obligated to investigate the repeated and illegal use of cluster bombs because it is playing a role in the conflict by ‘coordinating military operations.’ It also said the US should stop selling aerial munitions to Saudi Arabia without an investigation into alleged war crimes in Yemen”. Iran has also announced a ban on the import of Saudi products.

Overall, 48% in Lebanon have a favorable view of Saudi Arabia versus 41% who like Iran.

Nimr’s death unleashed a wave of anger across the Shiite world, including in Iran where protesters stormed and set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in the second city of Mashhad. Human rights groups said the cleric was executed for his political opposition to Saudi Arabia’s Sunni kingdom. But given that the violence “will likely only have costs for Iran” Rouhani may seek to confront the issue, said Mohebbian, a moderate conservative who has advised top politicians.

The sharp plummet followed a brief rally on Monday after Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic tied with Iran, raising concerns about possible supply disruptions.

Several other countries – majority led by and/or containing mostly Sunni Muslims, like Saudi Arabia, as opposed to Shiite-led Iran – joined in.

The United Nations says the war in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country, has killed almost 2,800 civilians since March.