Iran Warns Saudi Arabia About the Execution of Sheikh Nimr

The Islamic Republic of Iran has warned about the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia. Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, stated on Sunday, October 25, that the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir Nimr would incur a "heavy cost" for Saudi Arabia. Reuters and Iranian news agencies reported that the Saudi Supreme Court upheld the initial ruling that sentenced Sheikh Nimr to death last year, rejecting an appeal. Mohammed al-Nimr, Sheikh Nimr's brother, stated that the ruling was issued without the presence of defense lawyers and family members. In addition to Sheikh Nimr, the death sentences of six other Shia individuals, including his nephew, have also been confirmed. The execution or cancellation of Sheikh Nimr's death sentence is now solely within the authority of King Salman of Saudi Arabia. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister also advised Saudi officials to "refrain from adventurous behavior against the people" of the country and to act "in the path of justice and rationality." Prior to the initial death sentence being issued, Iranian officials had reacted strongly to the matter, including Aladdin Boroujerdi, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who warned that the execution of this Shia cleric would lead to a "serious security crisis" in Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Nimr Baqir Nimr was sentenced to death in October 2014 on charges such as "leading chaos and unrest" and "preparing the ground for foreign intervention" in Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Nimr was one of the leaders of the protests in 2011 in the Qatif region of eastern Saudi Arabia, which is a resource-rich area home to a population of two million Shia in Saudi Arabia. The confirmation of Sheikh Nimr Baqir Nimr's death sentence comes at a peak of tension in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.