Execution row: Bahrain joins Saudi Arabia in severing ties with Iran

Bahrain has joined Saudi Arabia in halting flights to and from Iran, according to Saudi-owned Arabiya TV and Bahrain News Agency.

Bahrain announced on Monday it was cutting diplomatic ties with Iran a day after its ally and neighbour Saudi Arabia also severed relations.

Saudi Arabia also announced it was stopping flights to and from Iran, after its embassy in Tehran was stormed in response to its execution of the prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Kuwait has recalled its ambassador to Iran over attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, the state-run Kuwait News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Sudan all severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Monday amid a political row following the execution of a leading Shia cleric.

The UAE has downgraded its diplomatic team in Iran.

Saudi Arabia's decision to break off diplomatic relations with Iran was "deeply worrying", the United Nations Secretary General has said.

A spokesman for Ban Ki-Moon said that the UN chief had spoken with Saudi's foreign minister via phone.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters:

"The Secretary-General reiterated that the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran was deplorable, but added that the announcement of a break in Saudi diplomatic relations with Tehran was deeply worrying."

Iran has no right to interfere with the affairs of other nations like Saudi Arabia, a senior minister from Bahrain has told ITV News.

Bahrain's under-secretary for foreign affairs Abdulla Abdullatif Abdulla said that Saudi Arabia's actions were their "sovereign right" to protect its citizens from "terrorists."

Mr Abdulla Abdullatif also said that his country's decision to sever diplomatic ties with Iran was down to Iran's "interference in the Kingdom of Bahrain."

Watch the full interview on ITV News at 6pm.

Saudi Arabia should be applauded for the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqr Al Nimr, the country's foreign minister has said.

Adel al-Jubeir told the Reuters news agency that Sheikh Nimr was a terrorist engaged in "terrorist acts" and his country shouldn't be facing criticism for the execution.

Al-Jubeir also told reporters that Iran was responsible for the rising tensions between the two countries.

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All air traffic between Saudi Arabia and Iran is to be 'cut off', a Saudi official has said.

According to Reuters Saudi's foreign minister has said "all air traffic" and "all commercial ties" will be halted between the two nations and the country's citizens will be banned from travelling to Iran.

Thousands of protesters staged a demonstration close to the newly reopened Saudi embassy in Baghdad on Monday in a show of anger at the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Protesters carrying posters of al-Nimr chanted "Damned, damned be Al Saud!", in reference to the Saudi Royal family as tensions continued to intensify after the mass execution of 47 people, including the cleric, in Saudia Arabia on Saturday.

Sudan has reportedly expelled its Iranian ambassador in protest to the attack on Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran.

The Tehran embassy was stormed by protesters on Sunday following Saudi Arabia's mass execution of 47 people, including a prominent Shia cleric.

News of the Iranian ambassador's expulsion was announced on Saudi state television on Monday as tensions continued to mount between the two countries.

Sudan's foreign ministry confirmed today that it has cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will be downgrading its ties with Iran and cutting the number of Iranian diplomats it allows to be in the country, according to local media reports.

State news agency WAM said the government had also decided to reduce the number of UAE diplomats posted to Iran amid growing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.