Saudi-Iran tensions won't hurt Syria talks

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura ruled out Sunday that the Saudi-Iranian tensions could affect the Syrian negotiations.

"The Saudi foreign minister assured me that there would be no impact from their point of view.... In Iran I got the same assurance," de Mistura told reporters during his visit to Tehran.

A spat erupted between Saudi Arabia and Iran earlier this month after the Sunni kingdom executed a convicted Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, who criticized the Saudi monarchy.

His execution enflamed regional tensions with Shiite powerhouse Iran, where angry protesters ransacked Saudi diplomatic missions, prompting the kingdom to sever ties with Tehran, the main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Source: MENA