Pakistan shows concerns over Saudi-Iran tensions

Late Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the kingdom would sever its relations with Iran over the assaults, giving Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran erupted into a full-blown diplomatic crisis as Riyadh and its Sunni Arab allies cut or reduced ties with Tehran, sparking global concern.

Iranian protesters hold portraits of prominent Shiite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr as they confront riot police during a demonstration against his execution by Saudi authorities outside the Saudi embassy.

Bahrain, a Sunni-ruled island kingdom with a restive Shiite majority, accused Iran of “blatant and risky interference” in the affairs of the Gulf Arab countries, in a statement announcing the severance of diplomatic ties. It also called on Iran “to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage”.

“It is not going to be helpful for us to own this process, certainly to be seen to be driving it”, the U.S. official said.

After his execution, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran after later protested against cleric’s execution.

Bahrain and Sudan followed suit on Monday, while Moscow offered to act as an intermediary between Riyadh and Tehran. The potential for further violence was quickly evident in attacks on the Saudi Embassy and a consulate in Iran.

Observing that there is no denying the United States has a much stronger and more effective relationship with Saudi Arabia than with Iran, Earnest said but there’s also no denying that Saudi Arabia’s human rights record is something that has been the source of significant concern on the part of the Obama administration and previous administrations as well.

“The Secretary-General urged both foreign ministers to avoid any actions that could further exacerbate the situation between the two countries and in the region as a whole”.

In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration believes “diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences”.

De Mistura is counting on broad support to launch peace talks between President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the opposition in Geneva on January 25 – the culmination of a three-month effort involving all key players.

He had allegedly led mass protests against Saudi authorities in the kingdom’s eastern Qatif province, leading to his arrest in July 2012.

President Hassan Rouhani has referred to the embassy attackers as extremists and said Iran should put to an end to attacking embassies once and forever.

Saudi Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi had earlier urged the council to “take all appropriate measures to ensure the inviolability of diplomatic facilities and the protection of all Saudi diplomats in Iran”.