Jordan summons Iranian ambassador over Saudi tensions

The dispute has raised fears of an increase in sectarian tensions in the Middle East that could derail efforts to resolve pressing issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

And in Yemen, Riyadh is leading a military intervention against Iran-backed Shiite rebels who have seized control of large parts of the country. However, an Associated Press reporter who reached the site just after the announcement saw no damage to the building. “Either the executions or the cutting of relations”, said a Saudi political analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity in an absolute monarchy where publicly questioning rulers’ decisions is taboo. Saudi Arabia is right about this. “For sure we will not allow any such thing”, he told the Economist. Al-Nimr was a staunch critic of the Saudi government and demanded greater rights for the kingdom’s Shiite population, but always denied advocating violence.

Although Iranian officials criticized the embassy attack and police arrested several individuals involved, Saudi Arabia on Sunday severed diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic.

Iran gave no further details on its claim, which was carried by state-run media.

Since Saudi Arabia severed ties to Iran, a host of its allies have cut or reduced their ties as well.

On Tuesday, Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Iran, becoming the latest country to side with Saudi Arabia in the widening diplomatic feud, which put the United States in a bind and even threatened to set back the prospects for peace in Syria.

Nimr and the three other Shiites were executed on Saturday along with 43 Sunni al-Qaeda convicts. Mohammed al-Nimr, the sheikh’s brother, said people planned to hold a funeral Thursday for the cleric, though Saudi authorities already buried his corpses in an undisclosed cemetery.

There are concerns new unrest could erupt. Local residents and witnesses cited by Reuters news agency said there was no damage to the embassy building.

Trade between Saudi Arabia and Iran is small compared to the size of their economies, but tens of thousands of Iranians travel to the kingdom every year to complete the haj and umrah pilgrimages – essential tenets of Islam.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani accused the Saudi government of fanning strife between Shiite and Sunni Muslims and creating “an Islamaphobic atmosphere” in world opinion, according to a news release from Iran’s U.N. Mission.

Iran’s annual exports to Saudi Arabia are worth about $130 million a year and are mainly steel, cement and agricultural products.

Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir this week told Reuters Iran needed to decide if it was a normal nation state or “a revolution”.

Al-Haj reported from Sanaa, Yemen.