US State Department urges calm after Sheikh Nimr’s execution
The US State Department has urged leaders of Iran and Saudi Arabia to reduce tensions in the Middle East region, amid international outrage over the Saudi regime’s execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr.
In a statement on Monday, State Department Spokesman John Kirby called on all sides to avoid any actions that would further heighten tensions.
The Saudi Interior Ministry announced Sunday that al-Nimr, a critic of the Riyadh regime, has been put to death along with 46 others on charges of “terrorism” and adopting a “Takfiri” ideology.
Sheikh Nimr’s execution has drawn strong public and political reactions from Iran and several other countries. The monarchy, however, has rejected all the criticism, accusing critics of meddling in its internal affairs.
In Iran, demonstrations were held in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by angry protesters, censuring the Al Saud family for the killing of the top cleric as part of a crackdown on Shias mostly residing in the kingdom's Eastern Province.
Following the demonstrations, Saudi Arabia announced severing of diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic, noting that its diplomatic mission and related entities had 48 hours to leave the country.
Kirby demanded that Iranian and Saudi officials hold direct talks to settle their differences.
He further condemned the attacks on Saudi diplomatic properties in Iran and asked Tehran to ensure the safety of diplomatic facilities.
On Sunday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani criticized the attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate as “totally unjustifiable.”
Iranian police also arrested dozens of people in connection with the case.
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