Saudi-Iran crisis widens as Kuwait recalls envoy

On Saturday, angry mobs in Shiite-dominated Iran stormed and set ablaze the Saudi embassy and consulate to protest at al-Nimr’s execution.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which began with the kingdom’s execution of a Shiite cleric and escalated with attacks on Saudi diplomatic posts in the Islamic Republic, have countries around the world responding by choosing sides or urging calm. That a number of Gulf states have followed Saudi Arabia’s lead and suspended relations with Tehran reflects the fact that they see Shiite Iran, not the Sunni Islamists in Daesh, as their paramount enemy.

On Sunday, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon issued a statement criticising both the executions and the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

The tiny, Sunni-ruled island of Bahrain is predominantly Shiite.

“We call upon the Security Council to take all appropriate measures to ensure the inviolability of diplomatic facilities and the protection of all Saudi diplomats in Iran”, al-Mouallimi wrote. Oil prices in Europe increased a bit on Monday due to this Saudi-Iran conflict, but slumped back down by Tuesday morning (prices increased to over from .22 before going back down to around ).

But analysts say he has resisted pressure from Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias, politicians and protesters to close the newly reopened Saudi embassy in Baghdad. It did not, however, expel Tehran’s ambassador or downgrade the level of diplomatic relationship with Iran.

“This responsibility has been given to us, and we have been active from the early moments to lessen tensions to prevent a disaster from happening that could affect the entire region”, said Jafari, speaking in Tehran at a news conference with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Media reports in Tehran said Oman’s foreign minister was expected in the Iranian capital on Wednesday. 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.

Iran has been a longtime supporter of Assad, while Saudi Arabia has provided the rebel factions fighting Assad with financial assistance and weapons.

The Iraqi government was trying to walk a middle line between Iran and the Arab countries in order to keep the momentum on the campaign against Islamic State, said Mona Alami, a Beirut-based analyst at the Atlantic Center think-tank.

In addition, the Kuwaiti deputy foreign minister sent a protest note to the Iranian ambassador to Kuwait. Most of those killed were Sunnis linked to al-Qaeda attacks in the kingdom.

On Tuesday, for instance, Kuwait, whose ruling family and most of its citizens are Sunni, recalled its ambassador to Tehran, citing “torching and sabotage activities” of Iranian demonstrators. But while Iran’s antagonism to the West has softened under its latest elected government, helped by United States diplomacy under President Barack Obama, Saudi Arabia appears to be fomenting more trouble in the region.

The U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, arrived in Riyadh Monday to meet with officials.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani continued criticism of Saudi Arabia’s decision to sever ties, saying that can not cover up its “crime” of executing Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.