Saudi Arabia's foreign minister warned yesterday that the country could deploy more countermeasures against Iran as tensions between the two countries remain high over the execution of a Shiite cleric.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir at a press conference after an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the capital Riyadh on January 9. Photo: Reuters.

"We are considering additional measures if they (Iran) continue to maintain their current policy," Reuters quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir as saying, without giving details.

Mr Jubeir made the comments at a press conference following an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the capital Riyadh. The meeting was convened to discuss tensions with Iran after the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran was attacked.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim, and Iran, a Shiite Muslim, have been rising since Riyadh executed Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2, angering the Shiite community in the Middle East.

"The escalation is coming from Iran, not from Saudi Arabia or the GCC... We are assessing Iran's moves and taking countermeasures... things will be clearer in the near future," Mr. Jubeir said.

After the meeting, the GCC condemned what it called Iran's interference in the internal affairs of Saudi Arabia and the region. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Riyadh also asked the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, of which Tehran is a member, to convene an extraordinary meeting to discuss the attack on the Saudi embassy in Iran.

Iran believes that Saudi Arabia is the one causing the diplomatic crisis. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif complained in a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about Riyadh's "provocation" against Tehran.

According to VNE