TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a strongly-worded statement on Saturday condemning the execution of prominent Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, described it as an act of “imprudence” and “irresponsibility”.

“Saudi Arabia supports terrorists but executes its critics,” ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said.

“The Saudi Arabian government supports the terrorist and extremist movements but speaks with its domestic critics with the language of execution and suppression,” he stated.

Jaber Ansari said the Saudi government will “pay dearly” for adopting such “irresponsible policies”.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday announced the execution of 47 prisoners, including Sheikh Nimr, who were convicted of being involved in what it called “terrorism” and adopting a “Takfiri” ideology.

Al-Nimr, arrested in 2012, was a pro-democracy leader in the Saudi kingdom.

---Iran summons Saudi charge d’affairs

The Saudi charge d’affairs was also summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry to hear Iran’s strong protest to the execution of the pro-democracy cleric.

Before entering the Foreign Ministry the diplomat was asked by a state TV reporter that does not he think that the execution will inflame friction between Muslims, he just said, “I will answer later.”

Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab affairs, told the Saudi diplomat that Riyadh as the “main accused” for the rise of terrorism and extremism in the region cannot acquit itself of the wrong policies, which has pushed the region into more insecurity, by executing Sheik Nimr under the pretext of fight against terrorism.


-----‘Saudi Arabia trapped in ‘whirlpool’ by executing Sheikh Nimr’

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani also said that Saudi Arabia has created a “whirlpool” for itself by executing al-Nimr.

The “barbaric” act caused a pain in the heart of the Islamic community, he said during a meeting in the coastal city of Bushehr.

Larijani added that such acts will undermine security in the Middle East region.

The Iranian religious scholars, including Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, and Grand Ayatollah Hosein Nouri-Hamedani, issued separate statements condemning execution of Sheikh Nimr.

Ayatollah Golpaygani said the execution facilitated the “downfall of the House of Saud”.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said the Islamic world will “take avenge of the Saudi regime”. He said the Islamic world was “surprised” by the execution, noting that if anybody doubted that the House of Saud is the “core of fitna and takfir” in the world the execution left no room for such doubts.

The ayatollah also said the execution is the result of Saudi defeats in Yemen, Syria and Iraq.

The association of the Qom seminary teachers and the supreme council of seminaries across the country issued a joint statement saying the execution of al-Nimr shows the “foundation of the illegitimate government of the House of Saud is trembling”.

Ahmad Khatami, a Tehran Friday prayer leader, told the Mehr news agency, “I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history.”

Sunni clerics in Iran also reprimanded the execution of al-Nimr.


NA