Riyadh cuts ties with Tehran after embassy attack

Riyadh, Jan 4 Saudi Arabia's foreign minister announced on Saturday to cut diplomatic ties with Iran and asked all Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours, local media reported.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said he informed the UN Security Council of the attack on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran late Saturday, adding that those Saudi diplomats reached Dubai, the UAE, safely.

He accused the Iranian authorities of not taking any measure to prevent the attacks against the embassy in Tehran and the consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

On Saturday, angry Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi diplomat mission against the Saudi execution of 47 individuals over terrorism charges, including a Saudi Shia cleric, Namir Al Namir, a member of Saudi Shia community.

The attacks were a violation to the international agreements, the minister said, also referring to the Iranians' previous attacks on the US and British embassies.

He also accused Iran of providing protection for Al-Qaeda through weapon trafficking.