Saudi-Iran Row: Kerry Calls For Calm

An Arab coalition headed by Saudi Arabia has been carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen at the request of President-in-exhile Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi since late March.

Iranians have rallied against Saudi Arabia to protest the kingdom putting to death Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an execution that sparked regional protests and tensions.

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.

“During an air raid by Saudi Arabia against Sanaa, a rocket fell near our embassy and unfortunately one of our guards was seriously wounded”, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, quoted by official news agency IRNA.

Details about the events and any casualties have not been released.

Iran has banned imports from Saudi Arabia as the rift between the two nations escalated on Thursday.

CNN reports that Saudi coalition spokesman Col. Ahmed Asseri said an investigation into the incident was necessary, adding that accusations are “not credible because we have not seen any evidence”.

Following Riyadh’s lead, Bahrain and Sudan cut diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic on January 4, while the United Arab Emirates scaled down its diplomatic representation in Tehran.

The Iranian government has distanced itself from the attack, saying the protesters entered the Saudi embassy despite widespread efforts by the police to stop them. The Yemeni capital is held by Shia rebels known as Houthis. Besides import ban, the Iranian cabinet also reaffirmed a ban on pilgrims travelling to Mecca for Umrah haj. Nimr often criticized the Saudi Arabia government and was a strong advocate for the rights of the people in the Shia community. Fears of Iranian resurgence made Saudi Arabia hostile to the nuclear accord, and it is now feared that the kingdom could choose to deploy its hundreds of billions of dollars in overseas holdings to sabotage its rival’s economic recovery.

By so doing, Qatar has shown that its loyalty lies with Saudi Arabia, even though they were not always on friendly terms.