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It's On: Saudi Arabia Severs Diplomatic Ties With Iran, "Does Not Care" If It Has Angered White House

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Earlier today, as Iranian police struggled to disperse protesters gathered outside the Saudi consulate in Mashhad, we said the following about the rapidly deteriorating situation:

If crude needed an excuse to rally, then surely this is it as it now appears that in addition to the fact that Riyadh and Tehran are squaring off in Syria (where Iran is present and the Saudis fight by proxy) and Yemen (where the Saudis are present and the Iranians fight by proxy), the two countries are on the verge of a historic diplomatic crisis which has the potential to stoke sectarian violence across the Muslim world.

Well sure enough, just hours later, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Ahmad Al-Jubeir announced that Riyadh has cut diplomatic ties with Tehran. The Saudis have demanded the Iran mission leave the country within 48 hours.

Jubeir said the attack in Tehran was in line with what he said were earlier Iranian assaults on foreign embassies there and with Iranian policies of destabilizing the region by creating "terrorist cells" in Saudi Arabia.

"The kingdom, in light of these realities, announces the cutting of diplomatic relations with Iran and requests the departure of delegates of diplomatic missions of the embassy and consulate and offices related to it within 48 hours. The ambassador has been summoned to notify them," he said.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir

Riyadh also claims Iran did not attempt to stop protesters from storming the consulate.

Here's are the main bullet points:

  • SAUDI TO FIGHT TERRORISM IN ALL OF ITS FORMS: AL-JUBEIR
  • IRAN HAS SPREAD CHAOS, SECTARIANISM IN REGION, MINISTER SAYS
  • AL-JUBEIR COMMENTS BROADCAST ON AL-EKHBARIYA SAUDI STATE TV
  • ALL OPTIONS ON TABLE TO PROTECT SAUDIS, FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS
  • IRAQ PROMISED TO PROTECT SAUDI DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS: AL-JUBEIR
  • SAUDI ARABIA DETERMINED NOT TO ALLOW IRAN TO UNDERMINE SAUDI SECURITY-FOREIGN MINISTER

Promptly thereafter, Washington responded to Saudi Arabia's decision by calling for leaders throughout the region to take "affirmative steps" to reduce tensions, Reuters reports.

"We're aware of reports that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ordered the closure of Iranian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom," an Obama administration official said.

"We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions."

However, at this point the Saudis are beyond caring what Obama thinks, and made that quite clear. As reported previously, here’s the latest out of Riyadh, via Reuters:

  • SAUDI ARABIA DOES NOT CARE IF IT HAS ANGERED THE WHITE HOUSE, SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S THINKING SAYS: RTRS
  • SAUDI ARABIA'S POSITION TOWARD IRAN IS 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,' SOURCE  FAMILIAR WITH SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S THINKING SAYS: RTRS

For those who might have missed it, the situation began to unravel on Saturday after Riyadh said it had executed prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr along with 46 other prisoners. Protesters poured into the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan and before the night was done, the Saudi embassy in Tehran was in flames. 

All of this comes as Iran is projecting its influence in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, posing a threat to Saudi regional hegemony just as international sanctions on Tehran are set to be lifted. 

The comments from Al-Jubeir seem to indicate that Riyadh is set to step up efforts to rein in the so-called "Shiite crescent", possibly by getting more involved in Syria, doubling down on the kingdom's commitment to the fight in Yemen, and, quite possibly, taking a more assertive role in Iraq by using the fight against ISIS as a smokescreen for some manner of intervention. 

It's also worth noting how absurd it is for the Saudis to suggest that the Iranians are the ones "spreading chaos and sectarianism" in the region. After all, it wasn't Tehran that just executed a prominent member of another sect and it's not Iran that preaches a dangerous, ultra puritanical interpretation of Islam similar to that which Sunni extremists use to justify the execution of apostates. Further, it wasn't Iran that destabilized Syria by fanning the flames of sectarian discord.

In any event, this an exceptionally serious situation that could well mushroom into a direct conflict between the two countries which are already on opposite sides of multiple regional proxy wars.

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Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:05 | 6991981 Dark Daze
Dark Daze's picture

Americans! Here is the truth. The Iranians in the fifties, for whatever reason, refused to do oil deals with the US multinationals. So Alan Dulles (of Guatemala fame and more) did a coup in Iran, imposed their puppet ruler, trained the hated Savak secret police in torture methods to keep the Iranians under control and then finally, the Iranians got it together and overthrew the Shah and kicked the Americans out. The only thing most Americans remember or know about it is that the Iranians held capptives for 460 days. Bad, bad Iranians! Of course nobody knows why they were so incensed or why they don't trust America to this day. Despite that, and despite years of crippling sanctions, their society has not only held together but it has become a pretty good model of what  healthy Islamic society should be. Now, the American war hawks and deep state actors are at it again. They cooked up ISIS (Sunni), stole oil from Iraq to sell on the cheap to Israel, empowered Erdogan to supply ISIS recruits, guns and money, all the while continuing to support the brutal and blood thirsty House of Saud and portray not only Iran, but Russia and 'the bad guys'. 

It is perfectly obvious who the good guys and the bad guys really are, and the minute the stupid Saudi's launch one of the nukes they got from Pakistan there will be a torrent of nukes incoming into Saudi Arabia, and it won't only be Riyhad. I wouldn't be surprised if Israel and Turkey is included on the list as Vlad has said straight up that if you have to fight, strike first and strike hard. Iran is protected by S-300, S-400 and Pansir anti-missile systems that are said to be the best in the world, but if the worst happened and a nuke hit Iran, I imagine you would see hundreds of thousands of Shiites slashing their way across Saudi Arabia in days.

Too bad the US has become such a bad actor.

 

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:24 | 6992042 Genghis Kahn
Genghis Kahn's picture

Well Said. The only thing I disagree with is the Saudi's having nukes. Israel would never allow that.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:29 | 6992060 metanoic
metanoic's picture

Then there's always the rumor that when Billy Clinton was in there was some loose, fast and completely illegal weapons deals made with many a country.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:13 | 6992236 Deathrips
Deathrips's picture

Israel and Saudi are cousins in Zion.

 

RIPS

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 23:39 | 6993710 maxwellsdemon
maxwellsdemon's picture

It would be perfectly O.K. if not extremely advantageous for the AngloZionists if SA suddenly announced it had nukes.  Just what would Iran do?  Just what could Iran do?  Any SA nukes would be under the control of the CIA/MI6/Mossad as are Pakistan's nukes right now.  

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:28 | 6992056 metanoic
metanoic's picture

Nice post. I've got to ask if you've seen any of the footage of Saud strikes in Yemen that appear to possibly be tactical nukes ?

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:46 | 6992381 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Go to Veterans Today for nukes going off everywhere.

Every fart in a bathtub gets reported as a nuke.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:45 | 6992122 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

Allen Dulles was front and center in the JFK murder as well. His tenure and legacy at the CIA literally ruined the country. His actions were clearly treasonous.

"The Devils Cheesboard" author David Talbot interviewed here by Amy Goodman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anYqrPRvhgo

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:45 | 6992377 AriusArmenian
AriusArmenian's picture

"The Devils Chessboard". Excellent book on Dulles. Also "The Brothers".

From my research what Dulles did is coalesce the agencies and strategies in the OSS that developed during WW2 to defeat the Nazis into the CIA and what I call the Military/Industrial/Surveillance/Finance/Warfare/Police State.

Also agree that Dulles and probably Angleton were connected to the JFK assassination. Also Johnson.

We have lived under a coup government ever since.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 19:56 | 6992734 gonetogalt
gonetogalt's picture

This is the best video I've yet seen on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNutyu3ypDo

I burn and give copies...

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:49 | 6992137 messystateofaffairs
messystateofaffairs's picture

But what about the petrodollar?

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:06 | 6991988 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

First they sever the heads of their own people.

Then they sever ties with Iran

Perhaps someone can sever their oil from the market and let them get back to tent living.

 

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:08 | 6991994 Panic Mode
Panic Mode's picture

US, you stick your head into the South China Sea or Middle East. Pick one.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:11 | 6992004 ronthefisherman
ronthefisherman's picture

Pretty blatant. By chopping a prominent Shia cleric's head - a man very popular in Iran, they hoped to provoke a strong reaction by the Iranian govt - and with the US and Europe about to drop sanctions against Iran within hours, the Saudis hope to block Iranian oil coming onto the market.
The Iranian population rose up and burned the Saudi embassy in Teheran - but the govt has not taken any serious action yet.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 20:39 | 6992919 mkkby
mkkby's picture

Iranian gov not taking any action yet.

Dumb fuck.  They've pretty much kicked saudi out of syria.  They pretty much own iraq.  Lebanon goes where syria goes.  If erdogan gets overthrown, there's a good chance we'll all be talking about a new persian empire.

Iran is sweeping the chess board.  Not falling for an obvious trap is pretty basic.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 20:52 | 6992935 Seek_Truth
Seek_Truth's picture

The Eighth King (Persia) rises.

The Mystery Explained
10and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11"The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. 12"The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.…

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 20:44 | 6992936 Seek_Truth
Seek_Truth's picture

.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:11 | 6992005 Dragon HAwk
Dragon HAwk's picture

You guys are overthinking this..

  Cutting diplomatic relations.. is just a whole lot cheaper than Building a New Embassy

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:12 | 6992011 dearth vader
dearth vader's picture

It will get past serious the moment the Street of Hormuz is closed.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:19 | 6992028 BetaGap
BetaGap's picture

This is not going to happen. Things will grow faster than the street can be closed.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:13 | 6992014 Phillpots
Phillpots's picture

I said it yesterday and I'll say similar today. It could be the event that will unseat the House of Saud and all hell breaks loose in the Middle East. All planned and going according to their plan. All in it together.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:14 | 6992018 SamAdams1234
SamAdams1234's picture

Goldman Sacs going short House of Al Saud.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:27 | 6992053 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

Is the US Navy gearing up all it's Carriers for active service coming very soon. As of today, only one carrier is deployed, all others are in port.

In normal circumstances about half of the 10  nuclear aircraft carriers are out to sea, while the rest are in port or in maintenance. On December 31st only USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is in the Persian Gulf waging the phoney war against ISIS. All other carriers are at their home ports or at dockyards for repairs and maintenance.

This pattern is exactly the one Japan adopted before Pearl Harbor. Most all it's major carriers retired to Japanese ports and did not sail. Instead all necessary privions and repairs were made to make the entire fleet operational for the Pearl Harbor operation. If the USN felt it was going to need all it's carriers ready for military action, it would need to get them to a US Port long enough to provision and make repair to any and all systems. Each ship has a clasification of readiness. A time in port is needed to make a ship ready to assume wartime status.

Is the entire thing going to go south very fast? Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Ukraine, South China Sea, Saudi Arabia, Iran.

Does the USN need all it's ship ready for military operations soon?? It's only a possibility. But all carriers in port, except 1, is very rare.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:40 | 6992103 messystateofaffairs
messystateofaffairs's picture

Does this mean Russia needs to get its carrier killer missiles ready?

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:53 | 6992156 Lumberjack
Lumberjack's picture

I would be inclined to say you are spot on.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:46 | 6992383 Oldrepublic
Oldrepublic's picture

I agree, but the Americans would use a nuke on Iran if one of their carriers was hit

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 19:48 | 6992688 Lumberjack
Lumberjack's picture

Too many fights going on now. Crowd psychology is a funny thing and I see not only a bench clearing brawl in the making but the stadium spectators getting in on the action too.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:06 | 6992207 Jack Oliver
Jack Oliver's picture

Iran has the ability to turn the entire US fleet into floating bathtubs - Russia also has this ability - The AEGIS system has proved its vulnerability - CHINA can disable ALL US satellites - This is the way to defeat the US WITHOUT fighting !

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:27 | 6992288 Caleb Abell
Caleb Abell's picture

It's a good idea to get all of our most powerful WW2 weapon systems ready.  For the first 15 minutes of a US-Sino-Russian war, they will be the terror of the seas.  In minute 16, they will be radioactive reefs.

I assume that part of the readiness preparations for our invincible imperial fleet includes having the sailors on those floating cemeteries give their wives and children a goodby kiss one last time.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:29 | 6992300 Caleb Abell
Caleb Abell's picture

P.S.

It's also a good idea to avoid buying real estate in San Diego.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:45 | 6992374 The Dogs of Moar
The Dogs of Moar's picture

carrier groups cost $7 million a day, 3 months $630 million. 

number of carrier groups at sea for 3 months, X times $630 million

 

we know the Fed can print money, but can they print the cost of a major war?

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 04:40 | 6994241 css1971
css1971's picture

 

we know the Fed can print money, but can they print the cost of a major war?

How many zeros do you want?

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:57 | 6992425 Omega_Man
Omega_Man's picture

well then good americans should sabatoge them, hell no we won't go

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 05:17 | 6994264 August
August's picture

>>>then good americans should sabatoge them

If the occupiers in Oregon were thinking a bit more long-term. they'd be sabotaging MIC facilities, rather than "standing up for" ranchers who don't want to be stood up for.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 21:04 | 6993038 pupdog1
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...and the littoral combat ships are gearing up to deliver the pizzas that that the carriers will need in sustained task group combat operations.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:43 | 6992113 The Dogs of Moar
The Dogs of Moar's picture

Now we know why Obuttox didn't order sanctions against Iran the other day.

Between the scheduled execution of the Shiite cleric, the religious nature of the protest, and the few CIA provocateurs still in Tehran, today's business was a done deal.  

The US emerges from it smelling like a rose although Obuttox hasn't lost his wiffiness.

We know the US wants a ceasefire in Syria.  The trouble between Iran and KSA only furthers such a day.  The US must have something up it sleeve.

Any Ideas?

 

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:53 | 6992154 BetaGap
BetaGap's picture

Sure. US has two major theatres right now.

Collect info about RS-20, SS-18 and TU-160.

 

It can get really disgusting if the US&A thinks it can handle those. And right now I think they are weighing that.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:48 | 6992337 The Dogs of Moar
The Dogs of Moar's picture

Yes, but that's why the US has been pushing a Syrian ceasefire since Russia entered the fray and began bombing the anti-Assad rebels and the ISIS oil trucks and wells..  

To limit one of those theatres.

It will be a long time before the Iranians and Saudis sit down to talk about a cease fire in Syria.  

Europe is getting tired of backing Ukraine. The SAA is pushing the rebels East and into Turkey.  Everybody wants Turkey out of Iraq.

So what does Obuttox have going for the West?

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 19:27 | 6992593 crossroaddemon
crossroaddemon's picture

He has nothing. Because he is not in charge. He just signs what he gets told to sign.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 17:59 | 6992176 InnVestuhrr
InnVestuhrr's picture

This is one of my wished-for Christmas presents - thank you islamic sub-humans :-)) !!!

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:00 | 6992181 Jack Oliver
Jack Oliver's picture

Saudis are pissed off - It's likely that they were promised control of Iraqi and Syrian energy assets in exchange for destabilising the oil price to hurt RUSSIA - Financing ISIS was also likely part of the DEAL - That DEAL is now in tatters ! The Petrodollar is also basically DEAD - Saudis also use their excess US dollars to buy interests in the American economy including Walmart and of course LUBE the MIT.

 

Saudis are DESPERATE now - not only have they shot themselves in the foot,they have shot themselves in the HEAD as well !

 

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:11 | 6992230 BetaGap
BetaGap's picture

You are going way too fast.

 

Things happen. But not at such a pace. Saudis are just upping the ante. Maybe they burned their fingers, but they have some friends (which actually noone can understand with open eyes). But right now they can call the uncle and it will march in.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:08 | 6992218 EemieMeanieMinieMoe
EemieMeanieMinieMoe's picture

Kinda' like the Faulkland war between the British & the Argentines.....2 second-rate 'powers' in a squabble over who is the more rediculous. The British battled over a rock, the Muslims are set to do battle over who's the more complete idiot. The Musloms are all idiots, mind you, wishing to impose 14th century law over an 'in house' bug tussle. I say....let tham go at it! The more of those cerebrial challenged, bearded fools that are no longer around, the better for the rest of us. But then I'm just an old curmudgeon.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:20 | 6992264 TeaClipper
TeaClipper's picture

moron

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:32 | 6992312 AriusArmenian
AriusArmenian's picture

What about the un-bearded fools in the US and its Anglosphere and EU vassals that have aided and abetted the head choppers and liver eaters across the MENA and the fascists and nazis in Ukraine?

At least the Syrian army of mostly young Muslim men are fighting and dying to liberate and protect Christian villages while the insufferable 'exceptional and indispensable' lunatics in the West support the jihadis raping and murdering Christians.

You think that Muslims are bad then the West is even worse and its people are bigger idiots.

For the sake of the people of the region the Syrian government with its allies must defeat the western Axis of Evil.

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 05:31 | 6994275 August
August's picture

>>>For the sake of the people of the region the Syrian government with its allies must defeat the western Axis of Evil.

It may take a while, but Assad-and-allies are likely to pull this off. The big question is whether the USA is willing to see "their side" use nuclear weapons to avert Saudi defeat; unfortunately, they just may be willing to do so.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:52 | 6992403 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

DAMMIT!

Those sheep were dyed in the wool Britains.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:54 | 6992410 Duc888
Duc888's picture

Black goo.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 19:52 | 6992714 earleflorida
earleflorida's picture

you realize that the cia in the mid-80s supplied the taliban 'black-goo' to make improvised explosives of the 'third kind'

it was molded into cigarett lighters, music tape cartridges, etc., etc., and killed instantly when used as was supposed to function

btw, their are still red zones in all districts of afghanistan today along with the open sewers with minds, and ied's [cia taught the taliban how to make them] still in circulation waiting, waiting, waiting for that innocent to light a smoke or a child to chase his soccer ball into... into no-man's land

black goo

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:26 | 6992285 patrickhenry61
patrickhenry61's picture

What will the Saa-ahh-ooo-deees use as man power? The soldiers they have look like security gaurds at your local mall. They will dole out money to American soldiers and mercenaries. They can never do it on their own. Watch for our American soldiers be sent in the coming future. Also didn't the Russian FM called this guy a fuckin' idiot under his breath? 

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