Mogherini Expressed Concerns Over Rising Tensions with Iran and Saudi Arabia

Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, shared the Union's concerns about escalating tensions in the Middle East and the jeopardization of peace efforts in Syria during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. On Sunday, January 3, she warned Tehran that renewed tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia could undermine efforts to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Mogherini stated that she and Zarif agreed that all parties should spare no effort to control the situation and avoid escalating sectarian tensions. She also mentioned being informed during the call about the attack by protesters on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the measures taken by Iranian officials to reduce tensions and protect Saudi diplomats. Later that afternoon, she spoke with the Saudi foreign minister and conveyed the EU's opposition to the death penalty and its concerns about the risk of increasing sectarian violence. The EU had previously issued a statement criticizing 'death penalties and mass executions' in Saudi Arabia, warning of the dangerous repercussions of the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric. The United States called on both Iran and Saudi Arabia to exercise restraint, with a State Department spokesperson urging both countries to avoid escalating tensions between Shia and Sunni factions in the region. Elizabeth Trudeau condemned the attack on diplomatic sites and called for Iran to protect the Saudi embassy. She also urged both Iran and Saudi Arabia to refrain from any actions that could lead to increased tensions. The U.S. had earlier expressed concerns about the impact of Sheikh Nimr's execution on sectarian tensions in the region. In a separate development, the UAE summoned the Iranian ambassador in Abu Dhabi to protest 'Iran's interference in Saudi sovereignty and the assault on diplomatic premises in Tehran and Mashhad.' On the same day, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the attack on diplomatic sites, labeling it a 'barbaric' act. The attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran was also condemned in the strongest terms by the Secretary-General of the Arab League. Continuing reactions to Sheikh Nimr's execution included a statement from Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Iraq, who expressed sorrow over the execution and referred to Nimr as a 'martyr' whose blood was unjustly shed. In Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, strongly condemned the execution, referring to Nimr as a 'fighter and martyr' who was killed merely for criticizing the ruling Al Saud family. He stated that those who executed Sheikh Nimr committed a 'serious crime' that cannot be easily overlooked. Meanwhile, as Iran sought to control protests in Tehran and Mashhad, police in Bahrain used rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse protesters. According to the Associated Press, hundreds of protesters gathered on Sunday in Sitra Island and hundreds more in the Al-Daih area west of Manama. In this context, Hassan Rouhani stated that the attack by extremists on the Saudi embassy is an insult to the regime, expressing U.S. concerns over the consequences of Sheikh Nimr's execution in Saudi Arabia, and the EU's warning about the 'dangerous repercussions' of the execution.