Saudi Arabia bans all flights to Iran

Saudi Arabia announced that it would severe all commercial ties with Iran in response to Saturday’s storming of its embassy in Tehran by a mob, including all flights to and from its neighbour, according to reports.

The Kingdom’s foreign minister, Adel al Jubeir, also ordered all Iranian diplomats to depart the country, blaming “Iran’s aggressive policies”.

Throughout Monday morning, the governments of several other Sunni-majority nations, such as Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates also announced decisions to reduce or cut their own diplomatic ties with Iran.

In parallel, protests took place in several countries with Shia Muslim populations such as India, Iraq, Pakistan and Turkey.

Religious pilgrims from Iran would still be allowed to visit Saudi Arabia, Jubeir said.