German FM Calls on Tehran, Riyadh to Show Restraint, Focus on Battling ISIL
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday urged Iran and Saudi Arabia to show restraintf ollowing the growing tension between the two countries over the execution of prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other people by Riyadh.
"I hope that the turbulence will soon end, reason prevails and Riyadh and Tehran focus on what's really important – defusing the military conflicts, fostering political solutions in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere and thus pulling the rug out from under ISIS (ISIL)," he told Bild in an interview published Tuesday, Reuters reported.
"Now we need responsible actors in the region who act responsibly, in Riyadh as well as in Tehran," Steinmeier further said.
The Saudi government on Sunday announced that Riyadh was severing its diplomatic relations with Iran following angry protests in Tehran at the execution of Sheikh Nimr by Riyadh.
Meanwhile, 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’s execution of 47 prisoners, including Sheikh Nimr, on Saturday drew global condemnation.
The executions 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 had been detained in July 2012 on charges of delivering anti-regime speeches and defending political prisoners.