Death of prominent Shiite dissident Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in Sunni-ruled kingdom led to mass protests, severed diplomatic ties

Iranian protesters hold portraits of prominent Shiite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr as they confront riot police during a demonstration against his execution by Saudi authorities on January 3, 2016, outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran. (AFP/Atta Kenare)
Iranian protesters hold portraits of prominent Shiite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr as they confront riot police during a demonstration against his execution by Saudi authorities on January 3, 2016, outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran. (AFP/Atta Kenare)

 

TEHRAN, Iran — A semi-official news agency in Iran reported Tuesday that Tehran’s City Council has voted to rename a street near the Saudi Embassy for a Shiite cleric executed by the Sunni-ruled kingdom in January.

The ISNA news agency said the council voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the Naaz Street after Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Saudi Arabia executed al-Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric and dissident, in January, along with 46 other prisoners. His execution sparked protests in Iran that saw demonstrators storm the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and another diplomatic post in the country.

Relations between the two countries, which back opposing sides in Syria’s civil war and in Yemen, were subsequently severed.

After al-Nimr’s execution, protesters had put up fake street signs renaming the street in front of the embassy for him.

As reported by The Times of Israel