Saudi Arabia, 2 allies sever ties with Iran

Tensions between Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbours reached new heights yesterday as Saudi Arabia and Gulf allies cut or downgraded diplomatic ties with Tehran in a row over the execution of a Shiite cleric, reports AFP from Riyadh.
Angry exchanges following Saudi Arabia’s execution Saturday of prominent Shiite cleric and activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr erupted into a full-blown diplomatic crisis as Riyadh and then ally Bahrain severed their relations with Tehran.

Saudi Arabia cut the ties late on Sunday, giving diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, after protesters set fire to its embassy in Tehran and a consulate in second city Mashhad.
Bahrain and Sudan followed suit yesterday, as Moscow offered to act as an intermediary between Riyadh and Tehran in a bid to ease tensions.
The United Arab Emirates also downgraded its ties, recalling its envoy from Tehran.
The growing crisis has raised fears of increased sectarian violence in the Middle East—including in Iraq where two Sunni mosques were blown up overnight—and of damage to efforts to resolve a range of conflicts from Syria to Yemen.
Bahrain made the same move on Monday, blaming the “cowardly” attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and “increasing flagrant and dangerous meddling” by Tehran in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states.
Iranian officials denounced the Saudi move as a tactic that would inflame tensions in the region.
“Saudi Arabia sees not only its interests but also its existence in pursuing crises and confrontations and (it) attempts to resolve its internal problems by exporting them to the outside,” foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing ends of a range of crucial issues in the Middle East, including the war in Syria—where Tehran is backing President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Riyadh supporting rebel forces—and the conflict in Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Shiite rebels.
AP adds: The UN envoy for Syria is heading to Saudi Arabia and Iran to gauge the impact of the rupture in relations between the two longtime regional rivals on efforts to end the Syrian conflict
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq says Staffan de Mistura is en route to Riyadh on Monday and will visit Tehran later this week.
 Haq says de Mistura "hopes that the adverse consequences of the tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran do not affect the peace process with the Syrians."

Saudi Arabia, 2 allies sever ties with Iran

Tensions between Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbours reached new heights yesterday as Saudi Arabia and Gulf allies cut or downgraded diplomatic ties with Tehran in a row over the execution of a Shiite cleric, reports AFP from Riyadh. Angry exchanges following Saudi Arabias execution Saturday of prominent Shiite cleric and activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr erupted into a full-blown diplomatic crisis as Riyadh and then ally Bahrain severed their relations with Tehran. Saudi Arabia cut the ties late on Sunday, giving diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, after protesters set fire to its embassy in Tehran and a consulate in second city Mashhad. Bahrain and Sudan followed suit yesterday, as Moscow offered to act as an intermediary between Riyadh and Tehran in a bid to ease tensions. The United Arab Emirates also downgraded its ties, recalling its envoy from Tehran. The growing crisis has raised fears of increased sectarian violence in the Middle Eastincluding in Iraq where two Sunni mosques were blown up overnightand of damage to efforts to resolve a range of conflicts from Syria to Yemen. Bahrain made the same move on Monday, blaming the cowardly attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and increasing flagrant and dangerous meddling by Tehran in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states. Iranian officials denounced the Saudi move as a tactic that would inflame tensions in the region. Saudi Arabia sees not only its interests but also its existence in pursuing crises and confrontations and (it) attempts to resolve its internal problems by exporting them to the outside, foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said. Iran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing ends of a range of crucial issues in the Middle East, including the war in Syriawhere Tehran is backing President Bashar al-Assads regime and Riyadh supporting rebel forcesand the conflict in Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Shiite rebels. AP adds: The UN envoy for Syria is heading to Saudi Arabia and Iran to gauge the impact of the rupture in relations between the two longtime regional rivals on efforts to end the Syrian conflict U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq says Staffan de Mistura is en route to Riyadh on Monday and will visit Tehran later this week. Haq says de Mistura hopes that the adverse consequences of the tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran do not affect the peace process with the Syrians.