Saudi Arabia Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Iran As Iran Rasies Oil Output

Saudi Arabia is severing ties with Iran after the embassy attack in Tehran, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir announced during a press conference in Riyadh. The foreign minister said that Iranian diplomats and staff have been given 48 hours to leave the Kingdom.

Iran is getting ready to increase its oil production output by as much as 1.5 million barrels a day in 2016. Iran's oil production has long been reined in by sanctions. Oil prices dropped 35% in 2015 to unprecedented levels since the global financial crisis.

The foreign minister vowed that Saudi Arabia will not allow Iran to sabotage the region's security.

"We are determined not to allow Iran to undermine our security. We are determined not to let Iran mobilize or create or establish terrorist cells in our country or in the countries of our allies. We will push back against Iran's attempts to do so," said the foreign minister. "We want to make it very clear that there is no space in the community of nations for a country that condones terrorism, that supports terrorism and that engages in terrorism."

Minister Al-Jubeir said that Iran has a history of violating diplomatic missions in its country. "The continued attacks on diplomatic missions is a flagrant violation of all international treaties," said the foreign minister.

The United States encouraged diplomatic engagement. Officials called for leaders in the region to take "affirmative steps" to reduce tensions.

"We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions," said official of President Barack Obama's administration in a statement