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Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic ties with Iran amid spiraling tension

KUWAIT, Jan 3 (KUNA) -- The hostile comments by Iranian officials towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the mob attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities last night in Iran in the wake of the execution of 47 terror convicts in the Kingdom, prompted the Kingdom to sever its diplomatic relations with Iran on Sunday.
The move came in response to Iran's disregard of the international diplomatic norms, and its repeated attacks on diplomatic missions it hosts, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubair said in a press conference in Riyadh tonight.
"Iran has a history filled with attacks on its foreign embassies and diplomatic missions without taking any action to prevent them, and instead, assisting further attacks through provocative statements," he said.
"These attacks come after aggressive statements made by the Iranian regime which create a blatant and clear incitement to their launch," minister Al-Jubeir added.
He regarded the attacks as falling under "Iran's familiar historic policies, which aim to destabilize the region." Al-Jubeir also accused Iran of "providing safe shelter to Al-Qaeda terrorists and the perpetrators of the 1996 Al-Khobar bombings in Saudi Arabia's Eastern region." He added that Iran also assists the smuggling of weapons, continuously intervenes in internal Arab affairs and causes sedition and destruction in the region. Saudi Arabia demanded that Iranian diplomatic mission staff depart the country within 48 hours less than a day after protesters attacked two of its missions in Tehran and Mashhad late Saturday.
In Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has expressed his rejection of last night's attack on Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad by a group of protesters, demanding that the identities of those responsible be revealed.
"The attacks and harm caused to Saudi Arabia's embassy and consulate by a group of people is unjustifiable under any circumstances, as the mission is under the protection of the Islamic Republic (of Iran)," he said.
The attacks also triggered angry reactions from Arab countries as well as Arab and Islamic organizations.
In Kuwait an official of the Foreign Ministry said his country sharply condemns attacks by Iranian demonstrators on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, and the Saudi Consulate in Mashhad.
Iranian authorities should shoulder responsibility for protecting the embassy and ensuring the safety of its staff, the source stressed.
Such attacks are a flagrant violation of Vienna Convention that requires States to protect and safeguard diplomatic missions and to ensure the safety of their staff, the source reminded.
The source called on Iranian authorities to abide by all international rules and norms which state the respect of States' sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs.
In addition, the source reiterated Kuwait's support to all measures adopted by Saudi Arabia to maintain its security and stability.
Kuwait's position is part of Gulf and Arab support for Saudi Arabia in its fight against terror and terrorist groups, the source added. In Abu-Dhabi the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iranian Ambassador to the UAE Mohammad Reza Fayyad, and handed him a written note of protest over "Iran's interference in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs." The note also included the UAE's protest against attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and Saudi Consulate in Mashhad, the Emirate News Agency (WAM) reported.
"These acts represent a violation of international charters and norms," the WAM quoted the ministry as saying. In Jeddah the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the separate attacks by mobs of protesters that targeted the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran.
The Secretariat of OIC demanded, in a statement, abiding by the Vienna 1961 Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the International Law which call for respecting accredited diplomatic missions in any country.
It also stressed its support for Saudi Arabia's efforts in combating terrorism and extremism following the Kingdom's execution of 47 people, mostly Saudi nationals, on terror-related charges.
The Secretariat also affirmed its adherence to the OIC charter rejecting any interference into internal affairs of any country.
It underlined the urgency of boosting cooperation ties among OIC member states and promoting efforts in order to face common challenges, combat terrorism and extremism, and avoid sectarian division, the statement pointed out.

In Cairo, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the highest Muslim religious authority in Egypt, denounced the attacks and reiterated support to Saudi Arabia in its efforts to respect its security.
Al-Azhar also called for the necessity of commitment to maintaining good neighborly relations.
On a similar note, the Cairo-based Arab League has condemned "in the strongest words" the aggression on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the Kingdom's Consulate in Mashhad.
The League's Secretary General Nabil Al-Araby considered the attacks "a blatant violation of the international charters and conventions,: holding the Iranian government fully responsible for the protection of the premises, according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.
He stressed the fact that Iran must respect the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the Arab countries which have the legitimate right to maintain the safety of their citizens, civil peace and the integrity of social fabric.
The Arab Parliament denounced Iran's "blatant interference" in Saudi Arabia's affairs after recent Iranian comments.
In a statement the parliament's president Ahmad Al-Jarwan described the comments as "hostile and provocative" as they "assisted in inciting an attack on Saudi diplomatic missions." Iran bears "full responsibility" for the dual attacks carried out by groups of protesters on Saudi Arabia's diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad respectively, which he described as "barbaric." "Iranian authorities are fully responsible for these terrorist acts in respect of the country's obligation to the 1961 Vienna Convention (on Diplomatic Relations) and international law which force countries to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions," he added.
Also in Cairo the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zeid stressed the necessity of respecting the sanctity of diplomatic and consular missions' premises, as well as securing the safety of their staff, as guaranteed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
In Riyadh the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned as "barbaric" and "acts of terrorism" the aggressions on the Saudi diplomatic facilities.
Failure on the side of the Iranian authorities to forestall such aggression constitutes a breach of Iran's commitments to the protection of diplomatic missions according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and the International Law, GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani said in a statement.
Al-Zayani also denounced Iran's "hostile and fomenting" statements against Saudi Arabia after the Kingdom carried out "legitimate rulings against terrorists." He considered the statements "blatant interference in the Kingdom's internal affairs." The GCC member states stand side by side with Kingdom in the condemnation of these "acts of terrorism" that targeted the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran, and hold the Iranian authorities fully responsible for the attacks, Al-Zayani added.
In Manama the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign affairs on sharply condemned the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic mission as "terrorist acts." "These demagogic and barbarian acts represent flagrant violation of the international conventions and norms, and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 which all safeguard the security and protection to the Diplomatic Missions," the Ministry said in a statement.
Bahrain also called on Iran to shoulder its full responsibilities and secure the required protection to the Diplomatic Premises and their staff, as well as take legal action against rioters.
The statement appreciated all efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in order to maintain security and stability at both regional and international levels. In Amman, the Jordanian State Minister for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani strongly condemned the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and deemed it a flagrant violation of the international law and relevant conventions.
He voiced Jordan's solidarity and support to Saudi Arabia in facing extremism and terrorism.
He also condemned the Iranian interference and anti-Saudi Arabia rhetoric following the execution of convicted Saudi persons.
Momani said that diplomatic missions should be protected and respected in line with the international law.
In Doha, the Qatari Foreign Ministry reiterated support to Saudi Arabia in its measures to maintain and safeguard security and stability, while denouncing the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
The Ministry reaffirmed in a statement full support to all efforts by Saudi Arabia to address all threats the kingdom and the region is facing currently.
It voiced strong condemnation of the attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the Saudi Consulate in Mashhad.
In Khartoum the Sudanese Foreign Ministry condemned a recent attack on Saudi Arabia's embassy in Iran by a group of protesters.
In a statement, the ministry expressed "utter rejection and condemnation" of what it deemed "hostile and fundamental practices," and called on Iran to respect the sanctity of diplomatic missions, offering them protection and taking legal action out on those proven guilty of the attacks.
The ministry also expressed "utter condemnation of all forms of violence and fundamentalism whatever their motives." (end) gb