Arab nations may take more deterrent measures against Iran

Tensions between revolutionary, mainly Shi’ite Iran and Saudi Arabia’s conservative Sunni monarchy have run high for years as they backed opposing forces in wars and political conflicts across the Middle East, usually along sectarian lines.

In a statement issued by the Pakistani military’s media wing, the Army chief said, “Pakistan enjoys close and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and attaches great importance to their security”.

The mission and the Saudi consulate in Mashhad, Iran’s second city, were attacked and torched on January 2 in anger over Riyadh’s execution of Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent cleric from the kingdom’s Shia minority.

“Iran, confident of its strength, has refused to retaliate or break – or even downgrade – diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia”, Zarif wrote.

Rahmani Fazli who was responding to a reporter’s question storming of Saudi embassy in Tehran, raised a new perspective and interpretation of the embassy attack, believing some analysts would not reject the possibility. He said that Iran had a strong relationship with Arab countries in the past but had not exerted efforts to maintain and engnder it. He said that Iran had earlier occupied three islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates.

President Hassan Rouhani asked Iran’s judiciary last week to urgently prosecute those who attacked the Saudi embassy “to put an end once and for all to such damage and insults to Iran’s dignity and national security”.

Smoke rises as Iranian protesters set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016.

In Saudi Arabia, Zhang met with senior Saudi officials and called for calm and restraint, said Hong.

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran the next day and was followed by a number of its Sunni Arab allies including Bahrain and Sudan.

Mishari al-Anzi was convicted of shooting dead another Saudi during a dispute, the interior ministry said.

“Iran doesn’t have qualms and doesn’t hesitate to using the sectarian card as a way to dominate the region, and interfering in the internal affairs of Arab countries”, Al Nahyan said at the opening ceremony.

On Saturday officials said another round of peace talks due to take place in Geneva on January 14 had been delayed by at least a week after the Huthis refused to take part.