Iran’s foreign ministry: Saudi Arabia to pay ‘high price’ for executing Nimr al-Nimr

For executing prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday, Saudi Arabia will pay “a high price” says Iran’s foreign ministry said.

Hossein Jaber Ansari, Ministry spokesman strongly condemned the execution, that came just after Iran repeatedly asked its Sunni-ruled rival to pardon the cleric. “The Saudi government supports terrorist movements and extremists, but confronts domestic critics with oppression and execution… the Saudi government will pay a high price for following these policies,” he said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

Iran’s foreign ministry: Saudi Arabia to pay ‘high price’ for executing Nimr al-Nimr

In Eastern Province, Nimr, 56, was a driving force of the protests that broke out in 2011, as the place where the Shiite minority of Saudi Arabia complains of marginalisation. “The execution of a figure like Sheikh al-Nimr, who had no means to follow his political and religious goals but through speaking out, merely shows the extent of irresponsibility and imprudence,” said Ansari.

The Basij student militia for its part connected to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards called for a demonstration on Sunday afternoon in front of the Saudi embassy in Iran capital.

“The execution of Sheikh Nimr was an execution of reason, moderation and dialogue,” the council’s Vice President Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan said in a statement.

The king ruled country executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other people. The Saudi Arabia says the most of those executed were convicted of leading or carrying out a series of al Qaeda attacks in their country after 2003, however, those executed were also included some members of the Shi’ite minority convicted of attacks on police during protests from 2011-13.