RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has announced to end its diplomatic relations with Iran after a series of strong demonstrations held in the Islamic Republic against the Kingdom over execution of prominent Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
On Saturday, Saudi Interior Ministry announced that 47 persons including Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr had been executed on charges of terrorism.
The mass execution especially the handing of Sheikh Nimr triggered a strong protests as expected, and Saudi embassy in Tehran was also put on fire.
In an announcement made by the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, it was told that Iranian diplomatic mission and related entities in Saudi Arabia has been asked to leave the kingdom within 48 hours.
The Saudi foreign ministry also announced that the staff of its diplomatic mission had been evacuated.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also condemned the execution of Sheikh Nimr in Saudi Arabia, calling it a violation of “human rights and Islamic values”. He also accused the Sunni monarchy of pursuing “sectarian policies which have destabilized the region in recent years.”
However, he pledged to protect the security of foreign missions and prosecute those responsible for attacking Saudi diplomatic posts.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei described the execution of Sheikh Nimr as a “political mistake” made by the Saudi government, and stressed the need for the entire world to act responsibly in the face of this and other crimes committed by the Saudi regime in Yemen and Bahrain.
“Without a doubt, the unlawfully shed blood of this innocent martyr will have a rapid effect and the divine vengeance will befall Saudi politicians,” Khamenei said at the start of his course to clerics at the post-jurisprudence level in Tehran on Sunday.
