RIYADH: Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran took a turn for the worse on Sunday as Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and Riyadh asked the Iranian envoy to leave the Kingdom within 24 hours.
Iranian protestors ransacked the Saudi Embassy early Sunday morning, reacting with fury to Saudi Arabia’s execution of prominent cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday.
Demonstrators who had amassed at the embassy gates to protest against cleric Nimr al-Nimr’s execution broke into the embassy and started fires before being cleared away by the police.
Al-Nimr, considered a terrorist by Riyadh but hailed in Iran as a champion, was among 47 men killed in the Saudi Arabia’s biggest mass execution for decades. Al-Nimr was executed by Riyadh on accusations of involvement in shooting Saudi police.
Saudi Arabia summoned the Iranian ambassador after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a strongly worded statement condemning the execution.
Later on Sunday, Arab TV reported that Saudi authorities have asked the Iranian ambassador in Riyadh to leave the country within 24 hours.