Nimr al-Nimr

The diplomatic crisis surrounding Saudi Arabia and Iran widened Jan. 5 as Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Tehran in the face of growing international concern.

Joining Riyadh and its Sunni Arab allies in taking diplomatic action, Kuwait said it was withdrawing its envoy over a weekend attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

Kuwait has recalled its ambassador to Tehran amidst a deepening diplomatic row between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the country's official Kuwait News Agency has said.

It has also summoned Iran's Ambassador in  protest over the attacks on Riyadh's diplomatic mission in Tehran that took place over the weekend.

Saudi Arabia has defended its judicial process at the United Nations, arguing that the 47 people executed at the weekend had been granted “fair and just trials without any consideration to their intellectual, racial, or sectarian affiliation”.

Ankara has called for calm and voiced opposition to recent executions, as tension between Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbors reached new heights, with Saudi Arabia and its allies cutting or downgrading diplomatic ties with Tehran following Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. 

The deepening crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran could threaten fragile efforts to negotiate an end to the Syrian war, which has claimed more than a quarter of a million lives, analysts say.
 
"The conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia will definitely have a negative impact" on the peace process, said Samir Nashar, a member of the Syrian opposition-in-exile.
 

The UN Security Council on Jan. 4 strongly condemned an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran by protesters angry over Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

If there is a will, there is a way. If the Turkish and Israeli governments really want to mend fences, they have an abundance of diplomats with enough creativity to find a face-saving solution to the issue or issues blocking reconciliation.

The Middle East has gone even deeper into turmoil since "our ally" Saudi Arabia, with which we recently established a "high-level strategic council," executed a prominent Shiite cleric.

You will remember that Turkey and Qatar also signed a military deal a short while ago, and we will construct a military base in Qatar against the "common enemy."

The diplomatic row between Iran and Saudi Arabia has deepened as several other countries have joined.

Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have all taken diplomatic actions against Iran after the Saudi embassy in Tehran was attacked following the execution of a Shia Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

Saudi Arabia has announced it is severing diplomatic ties with Iran after Saturday’s attack on its embassy in Tehran during protests against executions in the kingdom.

Iranian diplomatic mission was asked to leave the kingdom within 48 hours as Saudis evacuate embassy staff from Tehran, according to Al Jazeera.