The U.N. Security Council has condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks against the Saudi embassy in Tehran and another Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran after the execution of a Shiite cleric infuriated protesters there.
Demonstrators in Iran descended upon the Saudi Embassy following Riyadh’s execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr Saturday and set it on fire.
The Security Council called on Iran “to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage” and “all parties to maintain dialogue and take steps to reduce tensions in the region,” a Security Council statement said.
Jaberi Ansari, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said his country is committed to protecting diplomatic missions and reiterated that no Saudi diplomats were harmed — or even present — during the attack.
The Security Council did not address Nimr’s execution.
World powers weigh in
The U.N. body took its stance as world powers sought middle ground and many nations in the region picked sides.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reached out to both the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers to calm tensions.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest echoed those sentiments.
“We are urging all sides to show some restraint and to not further inflame tensions that are on quite vivid display in the region,” he said Monday in a briefing with reporters.
State Department spokesman John Kirby, meanwhile, urged engagement to reach “a resolution to these things peacefully, diplomatically and without violence.”
China called for “dialogue and negotiations.”
Russia suggested the nations “show restraint.”
France asked that the powers “do everything in their power to prevent the exacerbation of sectarian and religious tensions.”
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon talked to foreign ministers for both nations Sunday and called the breakdown in relations “deeply worrying.”
A tense region
The Saudis cut diplomatic relations with Iran over the attack on its embassy, suspending all flights to and from Iran.
Ansari accused Saudi Arabia of “looking for some excuses to pursue its own unwise policies to further tension in the region.”
Bahrain joined the Saudis in severing diplomatic ties with Iran, citing Tehran’s “blatant and dangerous interference” in Bahrain and other Arab countries.
The United Arab Emirates said it was “downgrading” its diplomatic relations with Iran. The UAE recalled its ambassador in Tehran and said it would also reduce the number of diplomats stationed in Iran, according to state news agency WAM. A government statement said the UAE “has taken this exceptional step in light of Iran’s ongoing interference in internal (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Arab affairs that has recently reached unprecedented levels.”
The diplomatic row spread to Africa, where Sudan — a majority Sunni Muslim country — expelled the Iranian ambassador and the entire Iranian diplomatic mission in the country. Sudan also recalled its ambassador from Iran.
The Saudi government announced the Sudanese move, saying Sudan acted because of “the Iranian interference in the region through a sectarian approach.”
Where do we go from here?
It was just weeks ago, after months of prodding, that the United States was able to get foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iran to sit at the same table with the United States and other countries trying to discuss a road map to end the bloody Syrian civil war.
Iran has been a long-time supporter of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, while Saudi Arabia has provided the rebel factions fighting Assad with financial assistance and weapons.
It’s nothing new that the two countries aren’t seeing eye to eye.
The schism dates back 14 centuries, and has to do with disputes over who should succeed the Islamic Prophet Mohammed as leader of the Islamic faith.
Sunni Islam has gone on to dominate the faith — nearly 90% of the world’s Muslims are Sunnis.
The Saudis champion the Sunni branch of the faith while Iran backs the Shia side.
The execution of the cleric only exacerbated their differences and will play out in the coming weeks.