RIYADH: A Saudi court has sentenced four people to death for links toregional rival Iran, alleging that they were plotting the assassination of“prominent figures”, state media said Thursday.

“The criminal court has sentenced four terrorists to death for forming acell for Iran,” the state-owned Al-Ekhbariya TV reported.

“The terrorists were trained in camps in Iran” and “planned to assassinateprominent figures,” Al-Ekhbariya said, without giving any more details onthose convicted.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, have a long history of rivalry. They today stand onopposing sides of conflicts in the Middle East, from Syria to Yemen.

In December 2016, a Saudi court sentenced 15 people to death for spying forIran, according to local media.

Rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trialsin the kingdom. – APP/AFP