Iran bans import of Saudi goods amid tensions

That could spark further unrest, as witnesses in eastern Saudi towns have reported hearing gunfire overnight and armored personnel carriers have been seen driving through neighborhood streets.

However, those living in the area remain on edge as recent nights have been broken up by gunfire.

Saudi Arabia immediately cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

Often at loggerheads over regional issues, a full-blown split between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran erupted at the weekend when Riyadh executed prominent Shiite cleric and activist Nimr al-Nimr along with 46 others.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, speaking in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, said the row could have “wide-ranging repercussions”.

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

The move followed demonstrations in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by angry protesters. “For sure we will not allow any such thing”. “The court did not, at all, make any distinction between whether or not a person is Shia or Sunni”, he said.

Thousands of worshippers who took part in Friday prayers in Tehran joined the rally, carrying pictures of al-Nimr and chanting “Death to Al Saud”, referencing the kingdom’s royal family.

The magazine said it conducted the interview on Monday.

Riyadh severed diplomatic relations with Tehran after the incident. The violence led Saudi Arabia and several of its allies to cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

Oman’s foreign ministry on Wednesday expressed its “deep regret” over the embassy attack but the country did not announce any measures against Iran.

He expressed hope that Yemeni people will respond properly to the Saudi airstrike on Iranian embassy in Sanaa. Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, is now held by Iranian-supported Houthi rebels, while Saudi Arabia supports the country’s internationally recognized government.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting a proxy war in Yemen for nine months, with Riyadh leading bombing raids against Iran-backed rebels who forced the country’s internationally-recognised president into exile in March past year.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti broke off ties with Iran this week, the United Arab Emirates downgraded its relations and Kuwait and Qatar recalled their ambassadors after the Saudi embassy in Teheran was stormed by protesters.