Somalia cuts ties to Iran amid regional crisis

Somalia says it has cut diplomatic ties with Iran amid ongoing tensions between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia.

A Somali Foreign Ministry statement issued on Thursday accused Iran of trying to destabilize the Horn of Africa nation.

The ministry says it has recalled its acting ambassador to Iran and ordered Iranian diplomats to leave Somalia within 72 hours.

Somalia joins Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Bahrain in cutting ties to Iran amid the crisis. Other countries have downgraded their ties to Iran.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran on Sunday after crowds of protesters attacked two of its diplomatic posts in Iran. Those attacks came after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent opposition Shiite cleric over the weekend.

source:AP