Update on Mideast madness

Update from the New York Times on the Saudi Arabia execution: 

Saudia Arabia, which has a Sunni monarchy, and Iran, which is ruled by Shi'ite clerics, have a long standing animosity that is seen as both a religious sectarian conflict as well as a struggle over political/economic dominance in the region.

The Saudi government's execution of an important leader of the small minority of Shi'ia in its country is playing out on the world stage as a major provocation, leading to attacksd on Saudi embassies, especially in Tehran.   Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had on his web site a photo of a supposed Saudi executioner alongside a photo of an ISIS executioner, with the question of "Is there any difference?" 

"Despite the rhetoric, however, the Iranians seemed to be taking steps to prevent the dispute from escalating further. Forty Iranians were arrested on Saturday night for the violence — a sign that the authorities were trying to keep public outrage from getting out of control." 

Hassan Rouhani, Iran's elected president, condemned the execution but also deplored the violent response in Iran, saying that rogue groups committing illegal actions damages the reputation of Iran.
 
The U.N. high commissioner of human rights, issued a rebuke of Saudi Arabia, expressing concern over the surge in Saudi executions.   The U.N. secretary general, the U. S. and the European Union have all condemned the execution of Sheikh Himr who, according to Ayatollah Khamenei "neither encouraged people to take armed action nor engaged in secret plotting" but was merely openly criticizing the Saudis and promoting his religious values of virtue.

I'm going out on a limb and suggest that the agreement with Iran over its nuclear future is partly responsible for this measured reaction from the rulers of Iran.   It can't hurt for them to have learned that they can rejoin the world of nations, and even gain the upper hand diplomatically and in reputation, by exercising responsible behavior in a crisis.   At this point, the Saudis look like the bad guys, the Iranians the good guys.

Ralph

Afternoon Update:   Saudi Arabia has now severed relations with Iran and given their diplomatic representatives 48 hours to leave the country.   The Saudi government said that it could not allow Iran to breach the security of its country, referring to the protesters in Iran breaking into the Saudi embassy.     This raises the Mideast crisis another notch.   It is the cooperation of these two countries that could most help in the struggle against ISIS.