Riyadh cuts ties with Iran following embassy attacks

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir announced to cut diplomatic ties with Iran and asked all Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours, local media reported.

The minister said he informed the UN Security Council of the attack on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran late Saturday, adding that those Saudi diplomats reached Dubai, the UAE, safely. He accused the Iranian authorities of not taking any measure to prevent the attacks against the embassy in Tehran and the consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

On Saturday, enraged Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi diplomat mission against the Saudi execution of 47 individuals over terrorism charges, including a Saudi Shia cleric, Namir Al Namir, a member of Saudi Shia community.

The minister said while referring to the Iranians' previous attacks on the US and British embassies that the attacks were a violation to the international agreements. He also accused Iran of providing protection for Al-Qaeda through weapon trafficking.

The relationship between the middle eastern countries is filled with tension. Both countries are the follower of the different set of ideologies in Islam, Iran a Shia country and Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Sunni world.

This tension might lead to more unrest in the already troubled middle east.

(IANS)