Sudan Joins Saudi Arabia in Cutting Ties with Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Sudan has decided to expel the Iranian ambassador in Khartoum, following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia that announced severing diplomatic ties with Tehran on Sunday.
According to a report carried by Saudi state television station Ekhbariya on Monday, the Sudanese government announced it plans to fire the Iranian ambassador after angry protests in Tehran at the execution of prominent Shiite cleric Shiekh Nimr al-Nimr by Riyadh.
The report added that Sudanese officials could not immediately be reached for confirmation.
Also on Monday, Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry announced it was cutting diplomatic ties with Iran.
The decisions by Sudan and Bahrain came shortly after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Sunday announced the severance of relations with Iran and added the Iranian envoy had been asked to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.
Speaking on Iranian state television, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian said in Tehran's first response that by cutting diplomatic ties, Riyadh could not cover up "its major mistake of executing Sheikh Nimr".
Saudi Arabia executed 47 prisoners on Saturday, including Sheikh Nimr.
The executions, which drew global condemnation, took place in 12 cities in Saudi Arabia, four prisons using firing squads and the others beheading. The bodies were then hanged from gibbets in the most severe form of punishment available in the kingdom's law.
Sheikh Nimr was detained in July 2012 on trumped-up charges of delivering anti-regime speeches and defending political prisoners.