Smoke rising from the Saudi Embassy in Tehran after the attack on it yesterday (AP). Inset: Al-Jubeir speaks at a press conference in Riyadh yesterday (Photo: Abdul Rahman Al-Salem)

Saudi Arabia took a firm decision to cut off diplomatic relations with Iran yesterday following attacks on the Saudi embassy building in Tehran and the consulate in Mashhad. Another reason for severing relations was Iranian intervention in Saudi affairs after the execution of 47 convicted terrorists.

The Saudi Foreign Minsiter Adel Al-Jubeir said in a press conference that the Kingdom is announcing the severance of diplomatic relations with Iran and requests all members of the Iranian diplomatic mission and offices connected with it to leave within 48 hours.

Al-Jubeir listed a “long record” of violations of the inviolability of diplomatic missions by the Iranian regime such as the occupation of the American embassy in 1979, attacks on the British embassy in 2011 and finally, the attacks on the embassy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad.

The Saudi Ambassador and the Manager of the Media Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Osama Nugali said that Saudi Arabia has informed the UN Security Council of attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran, and has also briefed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of these violations and has called on the UN Security Council to guarantee the protection of diplomatic missions and those connected to them in accordance with international conventions and laws.

This Saudi stance coincides with a succession of condemnations by Islamic, Arab and Gulf states of the attacks which affected the Saudi embassy and consulate. The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul Latif Al-Zayani condemned Iran’s hostile statements regarding Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute the terrorists, and held Iran fully responsible for what happened to the Saudi embassy and consulate.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Elaraby condemned the Iranian attacks and considers it a flagrant violation of international charters and practices. He added that the Iranian government is responsible for the protection of these sites according to the Vienna Convention of 1961.

In Pakistan, the Jamiat Ahle Hadith confirmed its support for the recent executions of convicted terrorists in Saudi Arabia.