Iran Says Unilateral Restraint in Saudi Conflict Not Sustainable

Riyadh, however, requested emergency talks gathering Arab League (AL) foreign ministers in Cairo to discuss the issue.

Top Arab diplomats rallied behind Saudi Arabia yesterday in a dispute with Iran that has threatened to derail efforts to resolve Middle East conflicts including the war in Syria.

Saudi Arabia announced a week ago it was cutting diplomatic relations with Iran, following an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran by crowds angry at the Saudi execution of a prominent Shi’ite cleric. Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran and its mission in Mashhad, Iran’s second city, were attacked by mobs and set on fire after the killing. Tehran then cut all commercial ties with Riyadh, and banned pilgrims from traveling to Mecca.

Also Monday, in a meeting with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, called on the Saudi leadership to stop creating instability in the region by encouraging hostility toward Iran by other Islamic countries.

Jaber Ansari said Sheikh Nimr’s execution was an act contrary to human rights and worldwide law, adding that many countries oppose and regret the action by a Muslim country.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday said Pakistan will not send ground troops to Saudi Arabia or any other country after having joined the 34-state Islamic military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi anti-government protester carries a poster with the image of Shiite cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr during the funeral of three Shiite Muslims allegedly killed by Saudi security forces in the eastern town of al-Awamiya.

“Among the Arab states, political attitudes over how to deal with Iranian interventions in the Arab world are different and varied”, he said.

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.

Erdogan also criticized the use of death penalty in Iran.

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. “In Iran I got the same assurance”, he said.

About the country’s defence ties with Saudi Arabia, Raheel Sharif repeated that Pakistan holds its defence ties with the Kingdom in highest esteem and any threat to Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan.