沙阿拉伯与特伊朗恩断义绝

Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic ties with Iran

Protests continue to sweep the Muslim world, after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shi'ite cleric after he was convicted of terrorism charges. Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was also a powerful voice for change against the Saudi royal family.

From Baghdad to Beirut, protests erupted across the Muslim world, after Saudi Arabia executed Shiite Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. He had been convinced on terrorism charges, but was also a vocal critic of the Sunni-led, Saudi government. In Shiite-majority Iran, the sheikh's death made headlines, sparking an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

Protesters also renamed the street outside it for the Sheikh. And the nation's supreme religious leader condemned the killing.

In response, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says the kingdom is cutting relations with Iran and gave its diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. The execution was one of 47 including dozens of Sunnis charged with terrorism-related charges.

But the execution of Sheikh al-Nimr threatens to further divide the region at a time when it needs unity to fight ISIL in Syria and Iraq.  And it comes on the same day that Saudi Arabia ended a truce with the Shiite rebels who took over Yemen's internationally-recognized government.

On Sunday evening, al-Nimr's family began three days of mourning in eastern Saudi Arabia, where the Shiite minority lives. The sheikh's brother, Mohammad al-Nimr told the Associated Press, that the Saudis have already buried him at an undisclosed cemetery.