Saudi-Arabias utenriksminister Adel al-Jubair varslet mandag at alle flyvninger, all handel og utveksling av mennesker med Iran vil opphøre.

Det nærmer seg fullstendig brudd på alle områder.

“We will also be cutting off all air traffic to and from Iran. We will be cutting off all commercial relations with Iran. And we will have a travel ban against people traveling to Iran,” Jubeir said.

Men shia-pilgrimer vil fortsatt bli mottatt, sa Jubeir. Under siste haji ble 400 iranere trampet i hjel.

Jubair forsvarte henrettelsen av sheik Nimr al-Nimr og sa kongedømmet burde bli rost, ikke fordømt.

Iranian pilgrims would still be welcome to visit Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina in western Saudi Arabia, either for the annual haj or at other times of year on the umrah pilgrimage, he said.

However, Jubeir said Saudi Arabia had been right to execute Nimr, whom he accused of “agitating, organizing cells, providing them with weapons and money” – allegations that the cleric’s family have denied.

After listing the crimes of 43 al Qaeda members also put to death on Saturday alongside four Shi’ites, Jubeir said of the executions: “We should be applauded for this, not criticized.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-iran-jubeir-idUSKBN0UI1GU20160104