Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed with his British and Indonesian counterparts the latest developments in the region as well as ties between Tehran and the two countries.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed with his British and Indonesian counterparts the latest developments in the region as well as ties between Tehran and the two countries.

In separate phone calls with Zarif, British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi discussed bilateral talks and regional developments, IRNA news agency reported.

They called on their Iranian counterpart to prevent further escalation of tensions in the region, according to the Iranian agency.

The calls came after Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cut their ties with the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates and Sudan downgraded their relations with Tehran.

Riyadh’s move to sever ties with Tehran came after Saudi authorities announced on Saturday it had executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr along with 46 others, prompting a furious reaction from Tehran and anti-Saudi protests.

Sheikh Nimr was a vocal supporter of the mass pro-democracy protests against Riyadh, which erupted in Eastern Province in 2011, where a Shia majority has long complained of marginalization.