Tehran: Iran Iranian state media reported on Sunday that it has decided to temporarily suspend its secret Baghdad-broker talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions for years. Saudi Arab carried out its largest known mass execution in its modern history.
Iranian news website Nournews, which is considered close to the country supreme national security councilThe government has unilaterally halted talks with Saudi Arabia, which have been going on in Baghdad for the past year, aimed at restoring diplomatic ties.
Iraq’s foreign minister had earlier said that the fifth round of talks between Saudi and Iranian representatives was due to resume on Wednesday.
The report gave no reason for Iran’s suspension, but it comes after Saudi Arabia executed 81 people convicted of crimes ranging from murder to terrorist groups, a group that activists believe. It is believed that it includes more than three dozen Shias.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman saeed khatibzadehi The official IRNA news agency reported sharply condemning the executions as a “violation of basic principles of human rights and international law”.
Shias, who live mainly in the oil-rich east of the kingdom, have long complained of being treated as second-class citizens. The executions of Shias by Saudi Arabia have sparked regional unrest in the past.
Iran, the world’s largest Shia Muslim country, and Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia broke diplomatic ties in 2016 after killing Saudi Arabia’s leading Shia cleric. nimr al-nimro, Angry Iranians opposed to the executions stormed two Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, sparking years of hostility between the nations.
Late on Saturday, sporadic protests broke out among Shiites in the nearby island state of Bahrain over the mass executions.
Baghdad-mediated talks between regional foes began quietly in Iraq’s capital last year as Saudi Arabia sought a way to end its devastating war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, a conflict that has seen the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. and brought the rebel drones. And missiles are raining down on Saudi airports and oil facilities.
Iran-backed militias have also attacked Saudi targets and launched drones against the kingdom from Iraq.
The pause in diplomatic talks between countries long competing for influence in the Middle East comes at a tense time for the region. On Sunday, Iran claimed responsibility for a missile attack around the US consulate in Iraq’s northern city of Irbil, describing the attack as retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard.
Talks with world powers to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal broke down without a deal last week, fueling uncertainty over months of talks that had almost reached a breakthrough.
Iranian news website Nournews, which is considered close to the country supreme national security councilThe government has unilaterally halted talks with Saudi Arabia, which have been going on in Baghdad for the past year, aimed at restoring diplomatic ties.
Iraq’s foreign minister had earlier said that the fifth round of talks between Saudi and Iranian representatives was due to resume on Wednesday.
The report gave no reason for Iran’s suspension, but it comes after Saudi Arabia executed 81 people convicted of crimes ranging from murder to terrorist groups, a group that activists believe. It is believed that it includes more than three dozen Shias.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman saeed khatibzadehi The official IRNA news agency reported sharply condemning the executions as a “violation of basic principles of human rights and international law”.
Shias, who live mainly in the oil-rich east of the kingdom, have long complained of being treated as second-class citizens. The executions of Shias by Saudi Arabia have sparked regional unrest in the past.
Iran, the world’s largest Shia Muslim country, and Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia broke diplomatic ties in 2016 after killing Saudi Arabia’s leading Shia cleric. nimr al-nimro, Angry Iranians opposed to the executions stormed two Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, sparking years of hostility between the nations.
Late on Saturday, sporadic protests broke out among Shiites in the nearby island state of Bahrain over the mass executions.
Baghdad-mediated talks between regional foes began quietly in Iraq’s capital last year as Saudi Arabia sought a way to end its devastating war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, a conflict that has seen the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. and brought the rebel drones. And missiles are raining down on Saudi airports and oil facilities.
Iran-backed militias have also attacked Saudi targets and launched drones against the kingdom from Iraq.
The pause in diplomatic talks between countries long competing for influence in the Middle East comes at a tense time for the region. On Sunday, Iran claimed responsibility for a missile attack around the US consulate in Iraq’s northern city of Irbil, describing the attack as retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard.
Talks with world powers to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal broke down without a deal last week, fueling uncertainty over months of talks that had almost reached a breakthrough.