Morocco Reiterates its Condemnation of Attacks on Saudi Diplomatic Missions in Iran

The dispute has raised fears of increased sectarian unrest across the Middle East and concerns it could derail efforts to resolve a range of conflicts, including in Yemen and Syria, where Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposing sides.

Iran and Saudi relations deteriorated sharply in recent days after the execution of prominent Shiite cleric and dissident Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr by Riyadh last week.

The Cabinet condemned the attacks, destruction, burning and looting at the kingdom’s embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad, noting that the attacks came after Iranian aggressive regime’s comments which formed a blatant incitement that encouraged attacks on the missions and represented a flagrant violation of all global agreements, charters and treaties. After a mob in Tehran attacked the Saudi embassy, the government in Riyadh severed diplomatic and some commercial ties, and several allies followed suit.

He said Pakistan attached great importance to the security of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Since then Saudi Arabia has “intensified its actions” against Iran, Zarif said, citing an alleged Saudi airstrike said to have caused damage at Iran’s embassy in Yemen’s capital Sanaa.

Riyadh told its diplomats to leave the Islamic Republic within 48 hours.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura …

“By punishing the attackers and those who orchestrated this obvious offence, we should put an end once and forever to such damage and insults to Iran’s dignity and national security”, Rouhani was quoted as saying in a letter published on the state news agency IRNA.

However, they were not prepared for such a game with Iran, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia should not be permitted to impose the costs of its destructive policies on the region.

“I think mostly it’s going to be very important for Western actors to recognise the need to strike a balanced approach in this escalation”, Geranmayeh said.

Last Tuesday, four armed men set a bus carrying workers in Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing Eastern Province on fire. Authorities said none of the workers, who were mostly Shias, had been injured in the attack.