RIYADH — Bahrain and Sudan announced on Monday they were cutting diplomatic ties with Iran while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recalled its ambassador from Iran and downgraded diplomatic relations with Tehran, a day after Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran. "In response to the barbaric attacks on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad ... the government of Sudan announces the immediate severing of ties with Iran," a Sudanese Foreign Ministry statement said. "Bahrain decided to break off diplomatic relations with Iran and calls upon all members of the mission to leave the kingdom within 48 hours," the Bahraini News Agency said. A Bahraini statement said the decision was triggered by "cowardly" attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and "increasing flagrant and dangerous meddling" by Tehran in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states. Manama said the attacks on the Saudi missions represent a "very dangerous pattern of sectarian policies that should be confronted... in order to preserve security and stability in the entire region." The Bahraini Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's charge d'affaires Murtada Sanawbari and handed him an official note in this regard, said the statement carried by BNA. Bahraini officials have blamed Iran for training militants and attempting to smuggle arms into the country. In October, Bahrain ordered the acting Iranian charge d'affaires to leave within 72 hours and recalled its own ambassador from Tehran after alleging Iran sponsored "subversion" and "terrorism" and funneled arms to militants. The UAE Foreign Ministry said it had decided to lower "diplomatic representation to the level of charge d'affaires and reduce the number of Iranian diplomats in the country. "This exceptional step has been taken in the light of Iran's continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels," said the UAE Foreign Ministry. It said relations should be based on "mutual respect for the sovereignty" and "non-interference in the internal affairs of others." Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir announced the cut in Riyadh-Tehran relations late Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home. Oil prices rose Monday after Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran. At about 1230 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in February climbed 30 cents to $37.34 a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for February won 59 cents to stand at $37.87 a barrel compared with Thursday's close.
