Army chief says Pakistan will respond to any threat to Saudi Arabia

After that, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti severed diplomatic relations with Iran, demanding that Iranian diplomats leave their territory.

The execution touched off anti-Saudi demonstrations in Shiite countries including in Iran where demonstrators set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad.

Bertrand Besancenot believes that the Arab decision proves that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a land for all the Arabs and Muslims and that any act of violation against the country is considered a violation against the security of all Arabs and Muslims.

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan who led the emergency meeting said the embassy attack "took place under the nose and within the earshot of security forces".

Smoke pours out of the windows of the burning Saudi Arabian Embassy during anti-Riyadh protests in Tehran on January 2. "Because if it is not maintained, the impact is not just for the region, but there will be a global impact", he said. "Saudi Arabia's approach is to create tension meant to negatively affect the Syrian crisis", Mr Zarif said.

Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia then cut off diplomatic ties with Iran, leading many Gulf allies to either follow suit or downgrade their relations with the Islamic Republic. China relies on the Middle East for its oil supply, but has previously largely refrained from interfering in the political affairs in the Middle East, preferring to allow other permanent Security Council members to address them.

If Iran continues to support "terrorism, sectarianism and violence", it would face opposition from all Arab countries, Jubeir told a news conference following the meeting.

Differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran complicate the resolution of the Syrian problem, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild.

The diplomatic dispute has raised concern that efforts to resolve a range of conflicts, including those in Yemen and Syria - where Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposing sides - could be derailed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saudi Arabia has to choose between "supporting extremists and promoting sectarian hatred" or being a constructive player in promoting stability in the Middle East.