Iran embassy in Yemen hit by airstrike, blames Saudi

Sudan once tilted toward Iran, but has been looking to Saudi Arabia for aid since the secession of oil-rich South Sudan in 2011.

Iraq has undertaken a delicate balancing act amid the latest regional turmoil.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al Abadi sent Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari to Tehran to help defuse the crisis.

“The real concern for us is the abuse of human rights”, he said.

Violent protests erupted in Iran earlier this week in anger at the killing of prominent Shia cleric Nimr Baqr al-Nimr.

Authorities in Iran have announced plans to bar Iranian citizens from making a hajj to the Saudi Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina, CNN reports.

“Current bilateral engagement includes a particular focus on Saudi Arabia and the UAE”, it says.

“We are encouraging a de-escalation”, said John Kirby. “The process of provoking tension must be stopped”.

A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Houthi tribesmen in Yemen since previous year and Riyadh has accused Iran of supporting them with arms and finances.

Jordan summoned Iran’s ambassador in Amman on Wednesday to condemn an attack on the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Tehran and “Iranian interference” in Arab affairs, Jordanian state news agency Petra reported.

The spokesman said the Iranian Embassy was damaged and several guards were injured.

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, has a Sunni-ruled monarchy but a Shiite majority.

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 nuclear deal struck last July between Iran and five other world powers was seen as a diplomatic triumph by its authors but it was vehemently opposed by Israel. Relations had been damaged by Saudi’s role in the 2013 ousting of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, a close ally of Ankara. Davutoglu said Turkey strongly condemned attacks against embassies.