Iranian men take a selfie with a poster of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent opposition Saudi Shiite cleric, who was executed last week by Saudi Arabia, at the conclusion of a rally protesting his execution, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi
TEHRAN, Iran – Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority says all flights to and from Iran have been cancelled.
The authority made the announcement via Twitter on Monday, a day after Riyadh cut diplomatic ties to Iran, escalating a crisis in relations sparked by Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent opposition Shiite cleric.
Iran and Shiites across the region condemned the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, and Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions, sending tensions soaring between the longtime regional rivals.
The aviation authority said it made the decision to cancel the flights based on the severing of diplomatic relations. It urged airlines to work with customers who had pre-booked tickets to travel to and from Iran.