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Iran-Saudi Arabia row: Tehran envoys must leave 'in two days' Iran-Saudi Arabia row: War of words as ties severed
(about 1 hour later)
Saudi Arabia has given Iranian diplomats two days to leave the country, amid a row over the Saudi execution of a top Shia Muslim cleric. Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of pursuing confrontation and stoking regional tension, after the Saudis broke off diplomatic relations.
The Saudi government announced on Sunday that it had broken off diplomatic ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia gave Iranian diplomats two days to leave amid a row over the Saudi execution of a top Shia Muslim cleric.
Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of stoking tension in the region. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the key Sunni and Shia powers in the region and back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are the major Sunni and Shia powers in the region respectively and back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. There are fears sectarian strife may spread. On Monday, two Sunni mosques in Iraq were bombed and an imam killed.
The US has appealed for calm, calling for continued diplomatic engagement. Iran-Saudi crisis 'most dangerous for decades'
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others were executed on Saturday after being convicted of terror-related offences.
Iran-Saudi crisis 'most dangerous for decades
Sunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schismSunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schism
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Leading Saudi Shia clericSheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Leading Saudi Shia cleric
Late on Sunday, police came under heavy gunfire in his home town of Awamiya in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, leaving one civilian dead and a child injured, the Saudi Press Agency said. Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others were executed in Saudi Arabia on Saturday after being convicted of terror-related offences.
Security forces are still hunting the attackers, calling the incident a "terrorist" act, a police spokesman was quoted as saying. Saudi Arabia announced late on Sunday it was severing diplomatic relations with Iran after demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran. It gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave.
Shia Muslims have complained of marginalisation in Eastern Province. It also recalled its diplomats from Tehran.
'Interference' Iran's foreign ministry on Monday accused the Saudis of "continuing the policy of increasing tension and clashes in the region".
Saudi Arabia announced it was severing diplomatic relations with Iran after demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and late on Sunday gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave. Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said: "Saudi Arabia sees not only its interests but also its existence in pursuing crises and confrontations and attempts to resolve its internal problems by exporting them to the outside."
It has also recalled its diplomats from Tehran.
Analysis: Lyse Doucet, BBC chief international correspondentAnalysis: Lyse Doucet, BBC chief international correspondent
A diplomatic rupture between the major Sunni and Shia powers in the region will resonate across the Middle East, where they back opposing sides in many destructive wars and simmering conflicts.A diplomatic rupture between the major Sunni and Shia powers in the region will resonate across the Middle East, where they back opposing sides in many destructive wars and simmering conflicts.
Players are already lining up along sectarian lines to support either Tehran or Riyadh.Players are already lining up along sectarian lines to support either Tehran or Riyadh.
Last year had ended with a bit of hope that talks on ending Yemen's strife had, at least, begun. Syria was to follow this month. It looks an awful lot harder now.Last year had ended with a bit of hope that talks on ending Yemen's strife had, at least, begun. Syria was to follow this month. It looks an awful lot harder now.
In October Saudi sources told me they only dropped their opposition to Iran's presence at Syria talks after the US persuaded them to test Tehran's commitment. But they doubt Iran will do a deal, and see it as key source of regional instability.In October Saudi sources told me they only dropped their opposition to Iran's presence at Syria talks after the US persuaded them to test Tehran's commitment. But they doubt Iran will do a deal, and see it as key source of regional instability.
On the other side, Iranian officials don't hide their contempt for the Saudi system and its support for Islamist groups. There's been barely-concealed anger for months. Now it's boiled over.On the other side, Iranian officials don't hide their contempt for the Saudi system and its support for Islamist groups. There's been barely-concealed anger for months. Now it's boiled over.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia would not let Iran undermine its security, accusing it of having "distributed weapons and planted terrorist cells in the region". He defended Iran's response to the embassy attack, saying it had "acted in accordance with its obligations to control the broad wave of popular emotion". Fifty arrests were made.
Iran's first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, said it would be Saudi Arabia that lost out by severing ties, accusing it of "hasty and illogical actions".
But in announcing the cut in ties, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia would not let Iran undermine its security, accusing it of having "distributed weapons and planted terrorist cells in the region".
"Iran's history is full of negative interference and hostility in Arab issues, and it is always accompanied by destruction," he told a news conference."Iran's history is full of negative interference and hostility in Arab issues, and it is always accompanied by destruction," he told a news conference.
US state department spokesman John Kirby said: "We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions". The US has appealed for calm, calling for continued diplomatic engagement.
"We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential," he said. But the execution also led to protests in Iraq, Bahrain and several other countries, sparking fears of spreading sectarian strife.
'Martyr' Bomb blasts rocked two Sunni mosques in and around Hilla, 80km (50 miles) south of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Monday.
Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the Sunni Muslim kingdom would face "divine revenge" for the execution - an act which also angered Shia Muslims elsewhere in the Middle East. It is unclear who was behind the attacks, but a senior police source in Babylon province told the BBC they were believed to be members of Shia militias. A muezzin of one of the mosques was killed.
Ayatollah Khamenei called Sheikh Nimr a "martyr" who had acted peacefully. A Sunni imam of a mosque in Alexandria, north of Babylon, was killed by gunmen in another incident, the source said.
Protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran late on Saturday, setting fire to the building before being driven back by police. The Saudi foreign ministry said none of its diplomats had been harmed in the incident. In Saudi Arabia late on Sunday, police came under heavy gunfire in Sheikh Nimr's home town of Awamiya in Eastern Province, leaving one civilian dead and a child injured, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Iran on Monday accused Saudi Arabia of using the embassy incident to provoke further regional tension, Iranian state TV reported. Security forces are still hunting the attackers, calling the incident a "terrorist" act, a police spokesman was quoted as saying.
It quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying: "Saudi Arabia sees its life in pursuit of crises and confrontations and attempts to resolve all of its internal problems by exporting them to the outside." Arab Spring
Relations between the countries have been strained over various issues in recent decades, including Iran's nuclear programme and deaths of Iranians at the Hajj pilgrimage in 1987 and again in 2015. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been strained over various issues in recent decades, including Iran's nuclear programme and deaths of Iranians at the Hajj pilgrimage in 1987 and again in 2015.
Diplomatic ties were severed between 1988 and 1991.Diplomatic ties were severed between 1988 and 1991.
Most of the 47 people executed by Saudi Arabia were Sunnis convicted of involvement in al-Qaeda-linked terror attacks over the last decade. Most of the 47 people executed by Saudi Arabia were Sunnis convicted of involvement in al-Qaeda-linked terror attacks over the past decade.
Sheikh Nimr was involved in anti-government protests that erupted in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Arab Spring, up to his arrest in 2012.Sheikh Nimr was involved in anti-government protests that erupted in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Arab Spring, up to his arrest in 2012.
The execution also sparked protests in Iraq, Bahrain and several other countries. Mansour al-Kafari, a spokesman for the Saudi ministry of justice told the BBC on Monday its courts were there to apply Sharia laws irrespective of other influences.
"The judges deal with the facts in front of them," he said.
Who was Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr?Who was Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr?
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Figurehead Shia clericSheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Figurehead Shia cleric