Baghdad offers to mediate in growing row between Saudi Arabia and Iran

The Iraqi foreign minister is in the Iranian capital meeting his counterpart there, amid fears of a new sectarian conflict.

This after Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia executed a Shi’ite dissident cleric, angering Shi’ite Muslim Iran.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, told a joint news conference: "Iraq is at the heart of the region and we have sought to use our broad relations with Arab countries and other countries so that Iraq can play its role and alleviate tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This responsibility has been given to us”.

Among those expressing their anger against Saudi Arabia are Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq.

Riyadh and some of its allies, including Bahrain and Djibouti, have also cut off diplomatic ties with Iran after the Saudi embassy there was ransacked by protesters.

Bahrain is also claiming that it has captured what it calls a "terrorist” group planning attacks in the kingdom.

Local media claim the cell is linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah.

There is no reaction yet from Saudi Arabia to the Iraqi offer to act as mediator.

Riyadh executed the Shi’ite cleric and 46 others, including three other Shiite dissidents and al-Qaida militants.

(euronews.com)