Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Turkey calls for return to diplomatic language in Saudi-Iran row

Jahan Destinations, the general sales agent for Mahan Air said there were no direct flights anymore from Iran to Saudi Arabia but pilgrim or other passengers could take connecting flights with carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways.

Iran's Vice-President Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, addressing journalists Tuesday, said the country's intelligence services were investigating the diplomatic mission attacks and that police officers who failed to take action to stop the assaults would be prosecuted.

Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood is to make an oral statement about Saudi Arabia to the House of Commons this afternoon.

A Saudi ally, Sudan cut ties with the Islamic Republic after Iranian protesters attacked the kingdom's embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashdad.

It also called on Iran "to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage".

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jaberi Ansari has said his country is committed to protecting diplomatic missions and reiterated that no Saudi diplomats were harmed – or even present – during this weekend's attack.

Saudi Arabia has supported Egypt as it struggles with a growing insurgency and economic downturn.

Reprieve has also questioned why Saudi Arabia was absent from the list of priority countries in the now-defunct death penalty strategy, despite the inclusion of the other most prolific executioners – Iran, Iraq, China, Pakistan and the United States of America – as well as a number of other countries, such as Jordan and Morocco, which execute at a far lower rate.

The state-owned SUNA agency says Sudan's foreign affairs ministry summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in the Sudanese capital to inform the mission that the diplomats have two weeks at the most to leave.

"Criticism should not be responded to with beheading", President Rouhani said. "… We hope that European countries, which always react to issues of human rights, would act on their human rights-related obligations in this case, too".

World powers have sought to calm the tensions.

Saudi Arabia said yesterday it would restore ties with Iran when Tehran stopped meddling in the affairs of other countries and pledged that Riyadh would continue to work "very hard" to support bids for peace in Syria and Yemen despite the spat.

And then there is the ongoing U.S.-led military effort against ISIS inside Iraq and Syria, which likely requires involvement from both Iran and Saudi Arabia to hasten the defeat of the terrorist group – now, the two sides will not want to cooperate.

"The animosity between the long-wary Sunni and Shiite powers diminishes the chances that they will work together to end the Syrian violence in which ISIS has thrived and increases the likelihood of more regional instability, several former USA officials told CNN Monday".

Where do we go from here?

Iran has been a longtime supporter of 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 Saudis champion the Sunni branch of the faith, while Iran backs the Shia side.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said Saudi Arabia 'cannot cover its crime&#039 by severing ties with the Islamic Republic


Source: Turkey calls for return to diplomatic language in Saudi-Iran row

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